


Avengers: A King's Awakening

by VVSIGNOFTHECROSS



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2020-03-20 06:53:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 39,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18987517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VVSIGNOFTHECROSS/pseuds/VVSIGNOFTHECROSS
Summary: Asgard is gone, Thanos is coming and the Avengers are scattered and divided.





	1. Chapter 1

** Avengers:  A King’s Awakening **

****

Asgard was gone, destroyed by Surtur’s flames and Hela’s greed. Thor did not know how to feel about that. He had been the one to unleash Surtur, he had been the one who had not realised until the last moment that the Odinforce would have allowed him to protect Asgard and defeat Hela, but by then it had been too late. His grief was mixed with anger. He was angry at his father for not telling him about his sister, he was angry at his father for not doing more to prepare for Ragnarok. He was angry at himself for not figuring this out earlier and for having to allow half his people to die just to get home. His grief, well, he wished he had known his sister before this had all gone southwards. Or as the humans were wont to say, gone to shit. Yet there was no point in trying to think about it now, it was in the past.

“Brother, if you keep staring out into space you will scare the children.” Loki said coming to stand at his side.

Thor turned and looked at his brother. Loki, the God of Mischief, the man who had defied death twice now. Loki had been the one who had paved the way for Hela, and yet when it had come down to it, Loki had stood with him against Hela. “Sorry.” Thor said. He did not know what else to say. He was King now, but he did not feel like a King. He was three thousand years old, and yet he felt not a day older than twenty.

“So, where are we going?” Loki asked lightly. Seemingly not giving a damn about the magnitude of what stood before them.

“To Earth.” Thor replied simply. It made the most sense. He knew more about Midgard, and he knew the land there would be enough to keep things balanced.

“Yes, but where?” Loki pressed. “Midgard is quite big, brother. And furthermore, I am wanted for crimes committed in New York.”

“That should be no problem. I spoke with Amora, she agreed to wipe their memories of you for a time.” Thor said. He’d spoken with Amora when he’d reached his decision on this subject, she’d agreed, but she’d asked something of him, and he’d agreed, though he doubted he’d like it when it came time to pay.

“What did she ask of you?” Loki asked. He knew Amora well having trained with her when they were children.

“It does not matter.” Thor said.

“So, where on Earth are we going?” Loki asked once more.

“To the land the humans call Norway.” Thor replied. “Their King said that should we ever need it; we could stay there.”

“Norway?” Loki asked. “How fun. Aren’t they one of the few realms that hasn’t let the sand demons infect them?”

 “Indeed.” Thor replied simply. Sand demons, that was quite a weird name for the Djinn, but then again Loki had always hated them.

Heimdell appeared at his side then, limping slightly. “We will need to get weapons, Your Majesty.” It was strange hearing his oldest friend call him by that title.

“Weapons? Why?” Loki asked. “Are we planning on conquering more land?”

“No.” Thor said. “But we will need weapons to defend ourselves. You and Amora are the only sorcerers we have left. And I do not trust her.” He remembered all the various games that had been played on him by her when they were children, and he knew she harboured some dark secret.

“So, where will we go to get these weapons then?” Loki asked. “Bearing in mind that no human weapon can harm us.”

“Nidavellir.” Thor said simply. “It is the one place where we can make the weapons we need.”

“Oh, great.” Loki said. “So, we’re going to the place with giant dwarves, one of whom wants to kill me.”

“Perhaps you should not have slept with his wife then, brother.” Thor replied.

Valkyrie appeared then. “You slept with a dwarf’s wife?” She asked, looking directly at Loki.

“Yes. It was a dare. I made it with Volstagg.” Loki replied. “We were…you know what, it doesn’t matter.” A sombreness came over Loki then and Thor remembered that for all his bluster, the Warrior’s Three had been his friends as well.

Valkyrie looked at him and asked. “Where are we going, Your Majesty?”

If it had felt strange hearing Heimdell call him by that honorific, it was even stranger hearing Valkyrie-the last living one!- call him by it. “We’re going to Nidavellir then Earth.”

“A smart plan. I’ll tell the ship then.” Valkyrie said.

“No need.” Thor replied. “It already knows where we’re going.”

“I meant the people. Your subjects need to know where we’re going.” Valkyrie replied.

“Right.” Thor said. He scratched at the spot just above his eyepatch and then turned around. He looked at the people. There were young men, old men, women and children, all looking at him expectantly. “People of Asgard. I know that you are tired and scared, I shall take you somewhere safe. We shall be going to Midgard, but first we must go to Nidavellir.”

“Are we conquering Midgard, Sire?” someone asked. A boy with black hair and green eyes.

“No.” Thor replied. “We are going there, because I have a favour I need to call in. But Nidavellir is necessary.” There were murmured agreements and then silence. Thor turned around and continued to stare out into the vast depths of space.

The ship moved quicker then, travelling without fear. As he thought through things, Thor found his thoughts coming to something else. “What happened to the Tessaract?” He directed this question at his brother.

“I don’t know. It was destroyed I think.” Loki replied.

“Are you lying to me, brother?” Thor asked.

“Why would I lie to you?” Loki asked in response.

Thor raised an eyebrow. “I am your King now, remember that.”

Loki sighed. “Fine.” He waved his hands and produced a glowing blue cube. Thor raised an eyebrow. “What? I couldn’t just let it be destroyed, now could I? It’s going to be important for us.”

Thor looked at his brother and felt anger boil then. “That bloody stone is why so much damage happened on Earth long before. You know this brother. We fought a war against the Frost Giants for it, and another war against the very same Sand Demons you hate, and now you would bring it with you to Earth.”

“Better with us than with him.” Loki replied.

“With who?” Thor demanded.

“The Mad Titan.” Heimdell said.

“Who?” Thor asked.

“Thanos, the last of the Titans. He is a being obsessed with death. Indeed, I think he was in love with our sister.” Loki replied.

Thor raised an eyebrow. “Why am I only just hearing about him now?”

“Because you only just asked about him now, that’s why.” Loki replied.

“So, Hela is dead, his love is gone,” Thor said, for a brief moment he thought of Sif and then pushed that thought down. “Why does he want the Space Stone?”

“Because he has some mad theory about the universe.” Loki replied.

“What theory is this?” Thor demanded.

“That it is over populated and that it must be halved.” Loki replied.

“I’ve heard about him.” Valkyrie said then. Thor looked at her and she continued. “He invades planets and uses his army to kill half the population. I’d heard a rumour a long time ago that he’d gotten a stone, I’m not sure which one, but it enabled him to make people turn against one another.”

Heimdell spoke before Thor could reply. “We must get to Nidavellir soon then, before he senses the stone.”

Thor sighed, he looked at his brother and said. “You never know when to stop, do you brother?” Before Loki could respond, the ship beeped.

“WE ARE APPROACHING NIDAVELLIR.” The ship said in a voice that sounded a lot like Volstagg, it made his heart ache at the thought of his friend.

“Something is wrong.” Thor said immediately. “The star has been burned out.” The ship stopped near the traditional loading bay, and the doors opened. “Valkyrie you and Heimdell remain here to guard the ship and the people.”

“Sire, I’m sworn to your protection.” The woman replied.

“I know, and I am instructing you to guard the people of Asgard, they are me as well.” Thor said.

“Yes Your Majesty.” Valkyrie replied.

Thor walked off the ship with Loki and they landed on the ground. “Something terrible has happened here.” Loki said as they looked around. Thor had been a regular to Nidavellir many years ago, it had been a bright and bustling planet, with a star for warmth. The place which forged the weapons of the Asgardians for a thousand years.

“What could have done this though?” Thor mused. “Father gave them the strength of the Bear of Immortality.” With that they walked on, noticing a charred and broken landscape around them, with no bodies in sight. It seemed as though the planet might be dead.

“Brother…” Loki said. He pointed to a golden gauntlet that stood there before them, mockingly.

“What is that?” Thor asked.

“He had one just like it.” Loki said.

“Who?” Thor asked.

“The Mad Titan.” Loki replied something like genuine fear in his voice.

“Get back to the ship.” Thor commanded, he turned to do just that when a blur came and hit him, sending him flying. He felt the lightning bristle under the surface but pushed it down. Loki was grabbed and was yelling.

“YOU!” the being yelled. “YOU!”

“Eitri!” Thor yelled then, recognising the voice. “Eitri, enough!”

The being turned around, his eyes glowing bright red. “THOR?!” The dwarf called out.

“Yes. It’s me, what happened here?” Thor asked.

“Asgard was supposed to protect us. Your father swore he would always protect us!” Eitri said, his eyes getting redder and redder with each passing moment. Loki was turning blue now as well.

“Odin is dead, Asgard is gone. Ragnarok happened.” Thor said. The words made his heart ache.

“What?!” Eitri exclaimed, he dropped Loki, and Thor saw his brother slither away. “How?!”

“Hela, she emerged from wherever Father had banished her.” Thor said. “What happened here?”

“He came here.” Eitri said.

“Who did?” Thor asked.

“The Mad Titan. He came here wanting a gauntlet made. He said he’d spare everyone if I made it.” Eitri said. He looked so sad, Thor felt his heart break for the dwarf who he had once called friend.

“What happened?” Thor asked.

“I made the gauntlet as he asked, and then he killed everyone. He said I was spared because I’d done as he asked. He destroyed the star then.” Eitri asked.

“How?” Thor asked. “The star was made by the All Father, it shouldn’t have been destroyed.”

“He had a stone, it did it.” Eitri replied.

Thor looked at Loki then, who sighed. “We’re going to need more than one weapon then.”

“How?” Eitri demanded. “The star is dead, there’s no chance of making anything.”

Loki spoke then. “You have the King of Asgard standing before you, and you have a sorcerer trained by Frigga herself, nothing is impossible.”

Thor looked at his brother and asked. “What do you have in mind?”

“You’re going to need to create a storm big enough to open the dimensions in the holders of the star, and then you’re going to need to fly right into the midst of the storm. I’m going to direct the energy toward the forge.” Loki replied.

“The amount of energy you’re going to need is going to kill you.” Eitri said.

Thor looked at the dwarf and said. “I am the King of Asgard and Protector of the Nine Realms, this is my duty.”

“Can you make the weapons we need?” Loki asked.

“How many do you need?” Eitri asked.

“Five.” Loki said.

“I can try.” Eitri said.

Thor looked at his brother and said. “Right let’s get this started then shall we.”

Loki nodded. Thor watched as Eitri moved to the forge, he jumped into the air, and channelling all the anger and rage he felt and the grief, he blinked once, twice and then on the third time, unleashed a jet of lightning so powerful the entire sky turned blue. He felt the lightning and thunder move through his body, he directed it with a movement toward the bolt of the star’s container. Loki used his magic to open the container, and when the lightning hit it, it roared to life. Loki then directed the energy to the forge.

“A little more!” Eitri yelled over the roar of the forge.

Thor felt everything within him turn. He channelled all his emotions in one go, rage, grief, anger, fear, sadness all of it came out and he unleashed it onto the world. Loki was sweating, Thor could literally feel the strain his brother was under. Suddenly Sif’s image appeared in his mind and he wondered where she was, and his longing for her which he couldn’t quite explain popped up. The energy stopped, and he fell to the ground. Exhausted. He felt sleep overcoming him. “Is it done?” He asked.

“Yes.” Loki said coming to his aide then. “Rest brother. I’ll take it from here.”

Thor closed his eyes. As he slept, the world turned and twisted around him, the snake was before him.

_You failed. Your father, your mother, Sif, all dead and gone. Asgard gone. All because of you._

_“You are wrong!” Thor roared at the snake._

_“And now Thanos will come to destroy you all.”_

_“No!” Thor roared. “I will not let him.”_

_How? How will you do that Thor Odinson? When you do not even have a weapon to defend yourself with?_

_The snake lunged at him, and before he knew what he was doing, Thor was in the air, his hands outstretched._

_“I am Thor, God of Thunder, Odinson, and you will bow before me!” He roared. The snake continued to lunge, so Thor roared again. “I am the King of the Nine Realms.” An axe appeared in his hands then._

Thor awoke, he felt the lightning channel his body as he rose into the air. He raised a hand and an axe flew right into his hand. “It is time.” He said as he raised the axe into the air opening the Bifrost taking himself, Loki and his people to Earth.


	2. Loki

** Chapter 2: Loki **

****

As they traversed through the Bifrost and the worlds of the nine realms passed them by, Loki felt his anger grow inside him. Not anger at Thor, but at himself. He was the God of Mischief for Odin’s sake, he should have known that Hela existed, he had known that Thanos loved Death and that he wished to prove himself to her. He should’ve put two and two together considering the things he’d read as a child. But he had not. He’d let his ambition get the better of him and now Asgard was gone. The only home he had ever known was gone and it was all his fault.

They came out of the Bifrost on a hill, with the sun beating down on them. Loki looked around and said. “Really? You brought us here?”

“It seemed fitting.” Thor replied, his eye still glowing as their people landed and looked around. “People of Asgard,” Thor said then. “Welcome to Odin’s Hill, this shall be our new home.”

Loki looked around. Their new home was where they had last seen their father, Odin the Allfather. A man whom Loki had been deeply angry with and had also admired beyond measure. The ship they had travelled in came with them. Loki pointed at it and asked. “What are we going to do with that?” they could not just keep it around, the humans would try something. Indeed, he was surprised the humans hadn’t done something already. Surely they would have learned by now? Then again they were a stupid species.

“We, or rather you, are going to disband it and use its parts to make a new castle and city for us.” Thor replied.

Loki looked at his brother and sighed. There was no point in protesting this, both of them knew he could. “Right. I take you want me to get started now then?”

“I’m going to help you.” A voice said from behind him. Loki turned around and found a woman with auburn hair and sultry eyes looking at him.

Loki turned back around and looked at his brother. “So, was this what you agreed with her?” He asked.

“Work together.” Thor commanded in a voice that Loki knew quite well, it was the voice that their father had used many times when he wanted them to work together.

“Fine.” Loki replied simply. He turned around and said to Amora. “No funny business.”

“Of course, Your Royal Highness.” Amora said bowing.

Loki snorted, Thor had gone off somewhere, he was talking to Heimdell and Valkyrie and the human who housed the Hulk. Loki did not like that human. He shook his head and turned his attention to the ship, black as night with the sky written all over it. He glanced at Amora. “A simple disbandment spell should do the trick.”

“Yes Your Royal Highness.” Amora replied.

“Bragða” they both said then and as they moved their hands the ship’s various parts began moving and shifting, turning this way and that as they forced it to their will, turning the parts into walls and buildings within the walls and a castle as well. It was a simple spell but it took time.

“So, was this what my brother agreed with you?” Loki asked. “You wanted to work with me?”

Amora laughed. “Don’t flatter yourself, Your Royal Highness. That was not the agreement I struck with the King.”

Loki snorted. “So, what was it then?” He had a few ideas as to what it might be. He had helped Amora over the centuries try and compel Thor into marrying her after all, he was not a complete idiot, he knew his brother did not think of Amora that way.

“That is for me and the King to know.” Amora replied looking at him with a wink and a nod.

Loki huffed. “Fine.” He moved the engine of the ship and turned it into a blacksmith, but one which would allow him to forge the Tessaract into something else. “So, why are you helping me? We both know that I can do this myself.”

“Because it has been so long since we last spoke, Your Royal Highness.” Amora replied.

Loki said nothing. The last time they had spoken had been when Lorelei had been alive, he had had to kill her before her madness had engulfed the world. Eventually he said. “I know. I am sorry for that.”

Amora moved the ship’s back wings into something resembling a throne, and she made it more elaborate than the throne that the Allfather had had. “Why did you stop coming to visit me?” Amora asked.

Loki sighed. He could not give her the truthful answer, that would open something he had tried to close for many years now. Instead he simply said. “Because I did not want to hurt you anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Amora asked.

“Why are we doing this, Amora?” Loki asked, turning to look at the woman. “What happened was five centuries ago, why are we still talking about it?”

Amora was calm, which was an improvement several centuries ago she would’ve gotten quite angry with disastrous consequences for everyone. Now however, she simply waved a hand and the piece she had been working turned into an obsidian wall. “Because I never got any closure. And I think from the way you are acting, you didn’t either.”

Loki sighed. “Fine.” He paused remembering how he had felt after he had helped bring Amora into for questioning, and how he had not been able to look at his mother for years afterward. “I didn’t come and visit you, because I hated what I had done to you.”

“I played my own part in my downfall.” Amora said.

“Yes, but you would never have done any of it had I not goaded you into it. I cost you your chance at happiness.” Loki replied, remembering another brother and the stolen kisses Amora would gush about to him.

“That was not your fault.” Amora said.

Before he could reply there was the sound of the ground shaking. Loki looked, really looked and saw that the structure was complete. He looked at Amora, and she nodded before walking away. Loki sighed, one day he would speak about that to her, but not today. His brother came and said. “Thank you, brother. I did not want to have to use Stormbreaker to do that.”

Loki raised an eyebrow. “You could use that thing for this?” He had no idea just what powers his brother had now.

“I think so.” Thor replied.

“You are not sure?” Loki asked.

“Not completely. All I know is that I have a lot of energy in me and it needs an outlet.” Thor replied.

“Well thank the Allfather you have that axe then.” Loki quipped.

Thor didn’t laugh, instead he looked at him and asked. “Why did you do it?”

Loki knew what his brother was talking about, but still, he found himself asking. “What?”

“Why did you send our father here, and why did you pretend to be him?” Thor asked softly.

“I…because I wanted to see what I would be like as King.” Loki replied.

“And?” Thor asked.

“I was terrible.” Loki admitted. “I cannot stand all the bloody minutiae of it all. So, have fun with that.” Loki patted his brother’s shoulder.

“I hate to break up this little brotherly gathering, but we might want to go inside.” Valkyrie said.

Loki found that there was something about this woman that intrigued him. He had known many women over the millennia, but none like this one. “Yes, she is right.” Loki bowed before his brother and said. “May I present to you the New Asgard.” With that he clapped his hands and the gates flew open. They walked into the place. The Asgardian people followed them. Loki gestured. “Walls strong enough to withstand anything we could throw at them.” He turned and pointed to his right. “The forge, where we shall make everything we need.”  He kept going, and then stopped before the streets paved with obsidian. “These shall lead to the houses of the people.” He clapped his hands and the houses appeared. He continued walking and then stopped before the walls of the castle. “The Imperial Palace.”

Thor nodded and then asked. “What of water and food?”

Loki clapped his hands and a well appeared, followed by the sound of running water outside the walls. “There is a river outside now, and it will never run out, no matter what the mortals do.”

Thor nodded and smiled. “Thank you, brother.” He took Loki’s hand and raised it high. “The Prince of Asgard, ladies and gentlemen.”

And now a rare thing happened, the people cheered him. He had never heard them cheer him before. He smiled and then afterwards the people moved to their houses to explore them, and that left Loki with his brother, Valkyrie, Heimdell and the human as well as the remaining nobles and the guard. “Well, I suppose you will be wanting to sort things out.”

Thor nodded as if understanding where he was going. “I shall summon you if I need you, brother.”

Loki bowed. “Thank you….Your Majesty.” He clicked his fingers and disappeared.

He reappeared deep within the woods that had naturally become a part of the New Asgard, and he sat there for a moment. He waved his hands and the Tessaract appeared before him. He stared at it and then closed his eyes.

_The vision was different to previous versions he had had. Now there was no chaos and destruction, the ship had not been attacked therefore it made sense that this would be the case. He looked around and instead saw New Asgard, but there was something odd. There was a coldness about it, a tendril of smoke billowed off the walls._

_A dark voice spoke then. “You cannot know the true extent of what you have done.”_

_“What do you mean?” Loki asked looking for the voice and not finding anyone._

_“Thanos was supposed to come and kill Asgard. He would’ve taken your life as payment for the debt you owed him. And he would have had the Soul Stone. But now because of your machinations he does not have it and the future has changed.”_

_“That is good though.” Loki replied. “My brother would have gone mad with grief had we all died on that fucking ship.” He rarely swore but now was the right time to do so._

_“Indeed, and yet the momentum has changed. There is something stirring, and you are at its heart.” The voice said._

_“What thing?” Loki asked fighting to keep fear from his voice._

_“A celestial is coming for you, Loki Odinson, when it will come we do not know.” The voice said._

Loki blinked and waved a hand hiding the Tessaract once more. He said aloud. “How long have you been standing there?”

“The last two minutes.” Amora responded. “Why did you keep the Tessaract?”

Loki did not turn around, so instead Amora came to sit next to him. “Because I could not let it be destroyed.”

“Why?” Amora asked.

Loki looked at her. “You know why. It’s one of the oldest things in existence and one of the few ways we can truly find out who the Celestials were.”

Amora sighed. “You’re not still obsessed with them, are you?”

It had been quite the obsession for him when he had been younger, and indeed, it had ended their relationship. “They are the only thing standing between us and death.”

“No, that was Surtur.” Amora pointed out.

“You know what I mean.” Loki said. “You and I have both heard stories of the Mad Titan. He’s coming for the stones, and I need to know how the Celestials stopped him the first time.”

“Well staring at that thing won’t help you.” Amora said.

“It might.” Loki said. “I have to try.”

“No, what you have to do is forgive yourself.” Amora said.

“What if I can’t?!” Loki snapped.

Amora sighed. “You can and you must, for everyone’s sake.” She got up then and left him with his thoughts.


	3. Big Green Monster

** Chapter 3: Big Green Monster **

****

Everything had been a blur since Ultron. Hulk had decided to board a Quinn Jet and go off into places unknown. Bruce had tried to fight the big guy, but had lost and for three years he’d been buried within, desperately trying to break free, and horrified at what the big guy had done. And then Thor had arrived, and there’d been hope for him once more. They’d fought on Sarkar and then he’d come back. Then they’d gone to Asgard and fought Thor’s sister-there had been something about her that he’d recognised that had made the big guy cower in fear- and from there everything had progressed as he had thought it might.

Asgard had been destroyed and now Thor was King. The man he’d known had been replaced. Gone were the jokes and the easy smiles, in their place was a solemn outlook and a man who didn’t seem to know what a smile was. Thor as King was a serious man who carried a great weight on his shoulders. And as much as Bruce appreciated that he did sort of want his old friend back. He felt at a loss here, the Asgardians were far more advanced than humans, and they’d managed to mask their presence from everyone for a month now. Bruce wondered why he’d been kept here. Indeed, he’d asked for a meeting with Thor and was now waiting for the man to enter.

The door opened just as he thought that, Thor walked in, dressed in black and red, with a crown of straight gold atop his head. He sat down and then looked at Bruce. “Banner, you wanted to talk with me?” His old friend asked.

“Yes…” Bruce said. “What do I call you?”

“Well that depends.” Thor replied.

“On?” Bruce asked confused.

“Do you consider yourself a subject of Asgard or not?” Thor replied.

For a moment, Bruce wanted to point out that Asgard did not exist anymore, but then he remembered something that Valkyrie had said to him at the time of Thor’s coronation. _Wherever the Odinson is, is where Asgard is. So, it has been, and so it will always be._ “Well, I was there when you were crowned, and I did bend.” Bruce said.

“Did you do so willingly?” Thor asked.

Bruce had to take a moment to think about that. Had he bent the knee willingly? Had he even bent the knee? He did not know truth be told. “I think so.” Bruce replied tentatively.

Thor sighed. “I do not have time for this sort of semantic, Banner, so, just get on with what you have to say.”

Bruce didn’t know why Thor was being so curt with him. Actually, no, that was a lie, he knew why his friend was being curt with him and he understood. That didn’t stop the big guy wanting to come out and roar a challenge. He swallowed, and took a deep breath then spoke. “I’ve been here for a month now. I must admit I’m deeply impressed and even a bit terrified by what I’ve seen here. You’ve built a Kingdom out of nothing, and continue expand and make things safe for your people. You’ve kept everyone guessing as to where you are. But I don’t know where I fit in here. I’m a scientist, but you already have scientists who are doing things that I have no idea how to do. You’ve got warriors so the big guy isn’t needed here. So, what am I doing here?”

He expected some long-winded speech from Thor, the man he had known on Sarkar and before that when Ultron had been around, would’ve no doubt given some sort of inspirational speech and all that. The Thor before him merely shrugged. “Do you want to leave?” Before Bruce could respond, Thor continued. “I have not kept you here against your will. I merely wished to allow you to make your own mind up. It has been a long time since you were on Earth, and given that things have changed here as well, I did not know whether you wished to face that.”

Bruce knew that Thor referred to the fall out between Tony and Steve, that had been on the lips of every Norwegian that they had spoken to on their journeys to Oslo to visit the King of Norway. He knew that Natasha was in hiding somewhere as well, the thoughts of her made his heart ache, but he pushed that to the side. “I am not going to sign the Accords.” He said at once. When he’d learned of them he’d been horrified. “They are far too invasive.”

“Then you cannot go to America.” Thor said. “It is law there and only partially applicable here. But I sense you do not wish to remain here.”

“I don’t know.” Bruce replied. “I want to do something, but I am not sure what. And I do not want to simply have to go about doing things that I know either Steve or Tony would want me to do.”

“Well, the Mad Titan is coming. We both know that.” Thor said. “He will need to come to get the Tessaract and the other stones on Earth, so, you will need to decide soon.” There was a pause and then Thor asked. “And what of things between you and the big guy? How are they?”

Bruce sighed. “I don’t know. I am genuinely terrified that if I turn into him again, I will never come back.” He had had nightmares about this since returning. The big guy had fought Surtur briefly and had then roared at Bruce in the caverns of his mind.

“Perhaps you need to speak with him.” Thor said.

“How?” Bruce asked. “He’s not something I can just summon at will.”

Thor produced something from thin air then, and Bruce had to remind himself that Thor also knew ‘magic’ he took a moment and then the man replied. “Have this, it will help you.”

Bruce took it and asked. “What is it?”

“Try and it see.” Thor said, he moved to the doorway. “And you might want to lie down after you’ve had it.” with that Thor walked out of the room, leaving Bruce even more confused than he had been before.

He walked back to his rooms in the more spacious part of the palace, and nodded to those he passed. They gave him respect, for his position as a friend of their King, but they did not see him as an equal. Truth be told, he did not begrudge them that. He was an interloper, and even the big guy likely could be killed by an average Asgardian citizen. That was something that made the big guy angry, causing Bruce to contort slightly, before he straightened up and reached his rooms. He closed the doors, took a breath and then sat down on his bed. He looked at the thing Thor had given him, sighed and then removed the lid and took a deep swig of the thing. He then laid back on his bed and closed his eyes.

_The world shifted then, a pool of darkness enveloped him, he felt something akin to fear, before he shook himself. Then the darkness was removed and a light was brought forward. There in the centre of it all was a green hulking mass. Bruce moved toward it and stopped when the thing looked at him. “So, you have come.” The thing said._

_“I have.” Bruce replied. He felt fear._

_“Why?” the thing asked._

_“Because we need to talk.” Was his response._

_“Very well.” The thing replied. “Then talk.”_

_Bruce shifted, his heart hammered in his chest and then he spoke. “Where are we going?” he paused and saw the confused look on the thing’s face and continued. “I created you ten years ago, and we spent most of the time in a jungle in India somewhere far away. I used you to fight Loki and the monsters he brought, and again on various missions. But then after Ultron you took control. You used me without my permission.”_

_The thing laughed. “And you never used me without my permission?” the thing put a hand on his shoulder, and he felt himself quite literally sink into the ground. “You only called me when you needed me to fight. You are smart, but not so smart as to be able to fight monsters. Therefore, you need the monster you created. You never stopped to ask me what I wanted from life. I only learned how to speak properly because of Natasha.”_

_“You took us away from Natasha!” Bruce snarled. “You didn’t even stop to think how she might have felt!”_

_The thing’s grip on his shoulder tightened. “And you did?” the thing laughed. “Please, you only flirted with temptation you never committed yourself. You were and are a coward, Banner. You deserve nothing more than scorn for everything you did.”_

_Bruce looked at the thing and demanded. “So, what do you want?”_

_“The chance to live without ever having to be used as a battering ram.” The thing replied._

_“Well I don’t know how that will happen, because you only ever come out when I am angry.” Bruce replied._

_“I controlled our body after Ultron for two years. I controlled everything and we did just fine.” The thing replied._

_“I don’t remember the last two years!” Bruce snarled. “At least you remember everything that happens when you are not controlling things. I don’t remember anything!”_

_“And whose fault is that?” the thing taunted. “You were the one who created this, so you must be the one to sort it all out.”_

_“Do you want to be separated?” Bruce asked, an idea coming to him then._

_“If that is possible yes. It would give us both what we want.” The thing replied._

_“What would you do if you were separated?” Bruce asked._

_“Fight, eat and fuck.” The thing said. “I know there are others out there like us. In the galaxy, I would want to be with them.”_

_“There are others?” Bruce asked._

_“Yes. There is an entire planet dedicated to us.” The thing said. “There was one person there who was my love.”_

_Bruce looked at the thing and sputtered. “You had a love?”_

_“Is that so unthinkable?” the thing asked. “I am not a beast that is without reason and logic. I am you, after all.”_

_Bruce stared at the thing and then said. “Fine, I will find a way to sort this out once and for all.”_

_“Good.” The thing replied. It let go of his shoulder and he soon found himself drifting away from the light._

Bruce awoke with a start. So, the Hulk had found love and found a planet filled with creatures like him. He rose up slowly, his head hurt like hell and his arms felt like jelly. Slowly but surely he got off the bed. He gathered his things and began making notes of different things, and it was only then that he heard someone knocking on his door. He went to the door and opened it. “What?!” He demanded.

There was no one there, but a letter was on the floor. He picked it up wondering who had dropped this. He opened it and read it:

_The time of your great awakening is coming Dr Banner. Be prepared for the when Angel of Death comes. For you will be needed to fight them._

As he finished reading the letter burned itself to ashes causing him to shout in surprised. He thought that through and wondered what the hell he’d gotten himself into with all of this. He walked out of his room and down the corridor to the library, which was completely empty. He sat down and opened up his books and began reading. He’d find a way to separate himself from the Hulk. He wanted a normal life. Maybe then he’d be able to find Betty and tell her he was better. If she were still alive.


	4. Iron Man

****

Tony looked at the blue sky and marvelled at it. It had been years since he’d ever stopped to look at the sky and smell the air or do anything other than fight and plan and plot. Two years since the events with Cap and the Accords and well, he’d managed to keep some reasonable sense of sanity. He and Pepper had patched things up and were going steady, he’d managed to get some work back for his own company, but still there was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind.

He could not believe Cap had sided with that old machine monster over him. They’d been friends and now this was how it all went? The man might not have had his memories but he’d still killed Tony’s parents, Cap had known that and kept it hidden. And then there’d been that whole business with the Accords. How? Why? He did not know, but there was a part of him, perhaps even a large part of him that missed his friend. Still it did no good to think on things that had gone into the past.

The future was there waiting for him. He looked at his phone then and saw a text of Peter and smiled. The kid was good, and kind, and reminded him a bit of himself before his parents’ death had happened. He hoped the kid wouldn’t go down the same path he had in his youth and indeed he was determined to prevent that from happening. So, he’d hired the kid as an intern and then they’d gone from there. The kid had potential.

He felt Pepper wrap her arms around him and he smiled. “Hey.” He said.

“Hey.” She replied. “What are you looking at?”

“Something that Peter sent me.” Tony replied.

Pepper removed herself from his back and came to stand at his side. He showed her the message and she laughed. “That really does sound like something you’d say you know.”

“I know.” Tony replied, laughing along with her. He put his phone away and took her hand and they started walking. “So, how are things going?”

Pepper sighed. “Oh you know, the usual. Investors demanding returns, some of the more hip employees demanding we do things that are actually quite good but cost a lot of money. And then there are the customers demanding we make things more accessible.”

Tony nodded and kissed Pepper’s hand. “I’m sure you’re managing, and if you’re not you can always ask me for some help.”

Pepper looked at him and laughed. “Yes, and I’m sure you’d give great advice, hunnie.”

Tony feigned insult. “Well, I’ll have you know that under my tenure as CEO, Stark Industries saw record profits for six years in a row.”

“And three of those years were when your advisors were selling weapons to terrorists.” Pepper said.

Tony sighed. “True. Though I didn’t know about that.”

“And now you do.” Pepper said.

Tony laughed. “And now I do.” They continued walking for a bit, Tony took the time to appreciate the scene before him, Pepper at his side, nothing unusual and strange, just the similarities of two people walking together who were in love. The thought made him speak then. “You know, I’ve been thinking.”

“Oh god here we go.” Pepper said.

“What?” Tony asked.

“Whenever you say the words, ‘I’ve been thinking’, I know something major is about to come.” Pepper said.

“How do you know?” Tony asked. “I could be about to ask you if you want to go to the cinema. There’s a great movie out right now, it’s called Shazam, it’s definitely worth watching.”

Pepper stopped and so he stopped, and she looked at him. “Are you going to suggest we go and watch a movie about a child who becomes a superhero?”

“Well, I mean, I’d not be against it. The actor who plays child Shazam is a big Iron Man fan,” Tony replied, Pepper rolled her eyes. “But seriously, I was going to say, perhaps we should talk about the wedding.”

He’d proposed to her two months ago in Paris, outside the Palace of Tuileries where the Kings of France had lived once upon a time and where it was rumoured that Baldr the God of Everything was buried, though he’d need to check with Thor about that. “Well what did you want to talk about regarding the wedding?” Pepper asked.

“I think we should just skip the big event and get married today.” Tony said immediately.

“What?!” Pepper exclaimed.

“Well, what would be so wrong about it?” Tony asked. “We don’t need that many people, Rody’s here, your dad and mom are here, and well the kid’s here, we don’t need anyone else do we?”

“What about all those guests we’ve invited? Including the President.” Pepper said.

“We don’t need them, you don’t even like the President.” Tony said, coming to stand before Pepper looking into her eyes.

“Yes but it’s the principle of the thing.” Pepper replied weakly.

“When have we ever cared for principle, Pepper?” Tony asked, his voice husky now.

“True….” Pepper replied. “Happy won’t be happy though. He’s been planning this whole thing since the day after you proposed.”

“It’s fine, he’ll get over it.” Tony said. He knew Happy, the man would get annoyed and rant for an hour and then he’d be fine afterward.

“Where would we get married? The tower?” Pepper asked.

“Oh heaven’s no. I know you don’t like the tower.” Tony said. “I know a Bishop who can get us married.”

“Which bishop?” Pepper asked.

“How does the Archbishop of Canterbury sound?” Tony asked.

“Tony, he’s in England.” Pepper said.

“He’s not actually, I asked him to give a talk at my university.” Tony said. “He’s in New York for a week.”

“You’ve really thought this through.” Pepper replied before giggling a little.

Tony kissed her then. “Of course I have, it’s you. I don’t want to do anything half arsed with you.”

Pepper said nothing for a moment, and Tony could tell she was thinking about it. Eventually she replied. “Okay, I’ll do it, but on one condition.”

“Name it.” Tony said instantly.

“You promise me no more surprises. I know you’re committed to being Iron Man and to helping out through that, but I can’t deal with any more surprises. We can’t do this if there’s something like Ultron or something else again.” Pepper said.

“A reasonable argument.” Tony said. “Alright, I promise, no more surprises.”

Pepper smiled and kissed him then, this one was deeper and when they broke apart, Tony felt himself struggling to get air. “Well, let’s get going then.” Pepper said, she took his hand and they continued walking, as they walked, Pepper spoke. “You know the President’s going to be pissed we didn’t invite him to this wedding.”

“He’s a big boy, he can handle it.” Tony said dismissively, he’d just send some hookers and cocaine to the White House or the President’s other address and that would be that settled.

“Well you say that, but did you see how he reacted to not being invited to Prince Harry’s wedding?” Pepper asked.

Tony laughed. “I did. I saw the tweetstorm and the following apology thread that was not an apology thread.” They continued walking.

“Why did we help him get elected?” Pepper asked. “He’s a horrible man and he’s such an idiot.”

“It’s because of that latter part that we helped him.” Tony said. “Everything he’s enacted so far domestically has helped us and the country. More people are employed and not being ripped off like they were under Obama, and there are less racial divisions now, thanks to Stark Industries schemes.”

“But the man himself is so disgusting. How long can we keep propping him up?” Pepper asked.

“As long as we need to.” Tony said. He stopped then and looked at her. “The minute he does something that makes you feel uncomfortable we’ll get rid of him.”

“And get a Presidential election called?” Pepper asked.

Tony counted in his head the number of judges he’d need to get that done and then said. “Yes, though we’d also need the Senate’s support for that.”

Pepper nodded. “Okay.” They continued walking then and Tony saw that some people were looking at them, he ignored them.

They passed some time in silence, and then Pepper spoke once more. “You know, Thor’s come back to Earth.”

Tony nodded. “I saw.” He had watched the news programme and seen Bruce there as well, a part of him had been stung by jealousy, but he’d pushed it down.

“Why do you think he kept the Asgardian’s landing on Earth a secret for so long?” Pepper asked.

“I think to give his people a chance to get used to their new surroundings.” Tony replied.

“True enough.” Pepper said. “I wonder how Jane’s doing with that revelation.”

“Who is Jane?” Tony asked.

Pepper stopped and looked at him. “Seriously?”

“What? I don’t care about anyone else’s love life.” Tony replied bluntly.

Pepper shook her head. “She was Thor’s girlfriend. We met her at Steve’s birthday party three years ago.”

Tony sighed. “Right.”

Pepper sighed then. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

Tony waved a hand. “It’s fine.”

Just then something crashed into a tree behind them. Tony turned around putting Pepper behind him. He put a hand to his temple and said. “Friday, what was that?”

“Scanning the surrounding area, Mr Stark.” Friday replied. There was a brief pause and then something else came clattering down near them.

“Friday!” Tony barked.

“Foreign projectile, Sir. Not sure where it’s from but there are more on their way.” Friday replied.

Tony turned and looked at Pepper and said. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

“What’s going on?” Pepper asked.

“I don’t know, but we can’t remain here.” Tony said, he held onto Pepper and pressed another button as the larger giant suit encased them, they then flew off as they flew, more projectiles hit New York.

“Tony, what’s going on?” Pepper asked.

Friday replied before he could. “An alien invasion, Ms Potts. Members of the Black Army are coming to Earth.”

“Black Army?” Pepper exclaimed. “What’s the Black Army?”

Tony sighed. “I don’t know, but I have a feeling it’s not good.” They arrived back at the tower, Tony dropped Pepper off, and as he got changed he saw something huge and terrifying come floating into the sky. He looked at Pepper and said. “Pepper, I know I said no more surprises but…”

“Go.” Pepper replied. “Go, sort this out.”

“You are sure?” Tony asked.

“Yes, go.” Pepper said.

“I love you.” Tony said, kissing his fiancé on the lips.

“And I, you.” Pepper replied. Tony pressed a button and the more comfortable suit formed around him as he took to the air.

As he flew he asked. “Friday, what are we looking at here?”

“Three big heat signatures near Central Park, Sir.”

“Right, here we go.” Tony said powering off and heading toward the enemy.


	5. Friendly Neighbourhood Spider

** Chapter 5: Friendly Neighbourhood Spider **

****

The bus moved along the bridge without much alarm, despite the tension he could feel in the wheels. Peter tried to ignore the feeling in his gut that something was going to happen to this bus. He’d had a nightmare about it last night and Aunt May had had to reassure him everything was fine. That conversation had been an awkward one, with both of them tip toeing around the fact that he was indeed Spider Man. Whether Aunt May actually knew or not, she certainly acted as if she knew he had a secret and that was what terrified him the most. He didn’t want her getting hurt.

Peter had seen how all of that had hurt the Avengers in Berlin. He’d seen how the greatest team to ever have existed had been broken by guilt and secrets and he’d seen it in the Mr Stark had looked at him during his internship and in trying to stop that mad man with wings. There was a price to be paid for all of this and Peter was still not sure if he was willing to pay it. The bus stopped at a traffic light and Peter turned to Ned.

“Hey Ned, did you ever figure out what that thing was on your wall?” Peter asked. Ned had phoned him a few days ago in a panic, because someone had drawn a cross with a circle around it in blood on his wall, and when he’d woken up the next day the thing had been gone.

“I didn’t.” Ned replied, he looked terrified still and Peter regretted bringing it up. Just as he was about the change the topic, Ned continued. “But I did some reading.”

“Oh?” Peter asked. He knew what usually happened when Ned did some reading, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know where this set of reading had led his friend.

“And I found something out that kind of scares me.” Ned replied.

“Such as?” Peter asked.

“Well that symbol,” Here Ned took out his phone and brought up the image. “That symbol is what is known within Demonology as a casting mark.”

Peter raised an eyebrow. “Demonology? Really?”

“What?” Ned exclaimed. “I told you, I went down a rabbit hole.”

“Alright, alright,” Peter replied raising his hands to calm his friend down. “Go on.”

“And basically, from what I was able to figure out, if this mark appears on your wall, it means someone in your family has been marked.” Ned said.

“Marked for what?” Peter asked.

“A gateway for demons and shit.” Ned said.

“Right…” Peter said.

“Oh come on, Peter,” Ned replied, he lowered his voice considerably then. “You’ve fought with Iron Man and Captain America; you’ve seen Ant Man and you’ve seen a dude with a trident who can breathe underwater. What’s so unrealistic about demons?”

“I don’t know, Ned.” Peter replied. “I have a feeling Mr Stark would’ve mentioned something like this to me.”

“Would he though?” Ned asked. “How do you even know he knows anything about this?” Ned flicked through his phone and pulled up another image. “This appeared in my Abuelita’s house three days after the sign appeared in mine.”

A goat’s head with a bull’s nose drawn on. Peter raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure that wasn’t some kids playing a prank? You’ve said before that your Abuelita’s a bit of a mad one.”

Ned shook his head. “Not with this she’s not. She took a picture of it, and phoned the police. They filed it under some nonsense heading and then left it. But my Abuelita told me that it means something as well.”

“What?” Peter asked. “What does it mean?”

Ned shuffled slightly. “Well she didn’t tell me that exactly. But I know she knows it means something.”

Peter shook his head fondly. “Ned, mate, as much as I think you might be right that there’s more to it, I don’t think it has anything to do with demons.”

Ned huffed. “Fine.” He put his phone away and then asked. “Have you done anything more for Mr Stark, since you know….”

Since everything had gone tits up at Prom and for his date and everything else in between. “Not since then no. But he told me he might need me for something in a few days’ time. I think him and Ms Potts are getting married as well.”

“Oh that will be cool!” Ned said. “Do you think you could swing me an invite?”

Peter laughed. “I can try.” He did think he’d be invited, at least he hoped he was. Aunt May had told him to ask about that considering how many hours he was putting in with Mr Stark.

There was a comfortable silence that passed between them then, the bus moved and Ned admired the water flowing beneath them and bright sunshine in the air. It was a good day a very good day. His positive musings were interrupted when he felt the hair on the back of his hand stand up. “Shit.” He murmured. “Not now.” He looked up and saw something in the sky. A big machine that looked like a wheel and swore again. He turned to look at Ned and whispered. “I need you to create a distraction.”

Ned looked at him, and then looked out the window. “HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, THERE’S A SPACESHIP IN THE SKY!” His friend yelled.

As the kids on the bus all moved to where Ned was pointing, Peter quietly got off his chair and opened the side door, he looked once, they were all gaping at the thing, he blinked, slipped out and pressed the buttons on his watch as the suit came over him.

“Afternoon, Mr Parker.” Friday said.

As Peter moved from bit to bit, he replied. “Friday, where’s Mr Stark?”

“On 11th Avenue and Main, Mr Parker.” Friday replied. “Should I connect you?”

“No, don’t. I’ll come to him.” Peter replied swinging from tower top to tower top. Eventually after much swinging he got to where Mr Stark was, and what he saw shocked him. The spaceship from before was there, but it had ripped a hole in the ground and was causing entire streets and cars to be swallowed whole. And at its centre was a small blue man with white hair flicking his hand this way and that. Peter saw the man flick something at Mr Stark and he shot out a web to stop the thing from hitting him. He moved the thing away and then came swinging down.

“Hi Mr Stark.” He said then.

Mr Stark looked at him and gasped. “Kid? How did you get here?”

Peter send another door flying back toward the blue man. “Well, you know, I saw the ship, and then I put my suit on.”

“Right.” Mr Stark replied as he fired a blast of energy at the things being thrown at him.

“What’s going on Mr Stark?” Peter asked.

Mr Stark fired off three bursts of energy and Peter let loose several smaller bursts of spiders at the enemy who brushed them off and came closer toward them, his attack was only prevented thanks to the appearance of a man with a cape who fired of literal fire at the man. “The man before us is Dr Steven Strange, he carries a thing called a time stone, the blue man attacking us is trying to get it. We must make sure he doesn’t.”

“Okay.” Peter said, he swung from building to building unleashing little fire spiders at the blue haired man who waved them away with ease and let loose several bursts of energy at Peter. He managed to avoid most of them but the final blast hit him and sent him flying backwards towards a tree which he hit. “Ow!” He yelled.

Mr Stark appeared at his side. “Are you alright, kid?”

Peter blinked. “Yeah, I’m okay, now, Mr Stark.” He got up and then said. “We’ve got to protect Dr Strange, right?”

“Right.” Mr Stark said.

“Okay.” Peter replied, with that he got up and started swinging side to side, Mr Stark flew around him firing off jets of energy.

“Kid, what are you doing?” Mr Stark asked him.

“I’m trying to confuse the blue man.” Peter said. “If we move around enough he won’t know where to hit.”

“Right.” Mr Stark replied. He fired off one or two blasts of energy and then moved forward. “You protect Strange. I’ll deal with the blue man.”

Before Peter could say anything, Mr Stark had flown off. Peter moved quickly and used his webs to throw away the doors coming for the Doctor. “Hi,” Peter said. “I’m Spider Man.”

“Dr Strange.” The man replied, he had cropped black hair and a goatee and a serious expression on his face. “You know what that thing is?” the man asked.

“Someone after you?” Peter asked.

“That’s Ebony Maw, he’s the most powerful member of the Black Order. Thanos, the Mad Titan’s hit and run troops. He’s come for the Time Stone. If he gets it we’re all fucked.” Strange said.

“Right…” Peter said, he was beginning to think that perhaps Ned hadn’t been so out there with his theories.

“I’m not going to stay here and let Stark take a beating.” Strange said.

“I got told to keep you safe.” Peter said.

“I’ll be safe when that fucker over there is dead.” Strange said, he waved a hand and soon was moving toward Ebony Maw.

“Fine.” Peter cursed to himself, as he moved off after Strange. Mr Stark was taking a beating, his armour was badly damaged, his body was bleeding and Peter found that his heart was in his mouth then. He swung something heavy at Maw and it hit.

“We need to do that again.” Mr Stark replied, just before Maw through an entire building at Mr Stark. Peter yelled as Mr Stark disappeared under it.

Maw came before him then and started pummelling him with energy that Peter couldn’t control. He took it to his face and to his body and his arms and his legs. He was paralysed. Maw laughed. “You are nothing.” Peter felt his throat begin to constrict, it was becoming hard to breathe, but then suddenly he was let go, and Maw was gone. As his vision began to clear, he saw Strange being carried up onto a ship. He tried to move but couldn’t. His legs were gone.

“Sorry, Mr Stark.” Peter said before he closed his eyes, just for a moment.


	6. For Want Of A Man

** Chapter 6: For Want Of A Man **

****

Steve found his thoughts drifting back to the hangar again. Everything had gone wrong that day. He’d not wanted to fight Tony, but the man had left him no choice. He would not hand Bucky over to a organisation that would’ve looked passed the fact he’d been brain washed by Hydra and would’ve forced him to simply die because of the crimes he’d been made to commit. Tony hadn’t understood that, and Steve understood that. They’d fought and now here he was. Two years later, desperately trying to keep what remained of his team together. It was not easy and not for the first time, he wondered why they were with him.

Sam, he understood, Sam was a solider, and knew that the world was changing and that America was broken beyond repair, and that they could not fix it if they were dead or behind bars. But Natasha? He would’ve thought Natasha would’ve wanted to go and find Bruce, but it seemed she’d put that behind them and decided to stay with him. Things between them were, interesting to say the least, but Steve wouldn’t do anything about it. It wouldn’t be honourable.

That thought brought him to why he was currently crouched low on a rooftop watching two former teammates celebrate a successful date in a village in Scotland. He’d given Scarlett Witch direct orders to report in and when she hadn’t he’d decided to go looking for her and now here they were. Sam spoke then, breaking his thought process. “You know, I get that you want her to be safe, Cap, but did we really have to follow them the whole way? This feels weird.”

Cap looked at Sam and said. “I know, but something hasn’t been right the entire time we’ve been here.” He gestured to the sky and said. “Something is approaching, I can feel it.”

“What?” Sam asked. “I can’t fight an enemy I can’t see.”

Cap sighed. “I know. But that’s what we’re fighting now. We need to keep an eye on everything without getting carried away.” He pressed a finger to his lips then and looked down. Wanda and Vision were looking at the television in some superstore. Steve took the binoculars and zoomed in and his heart went into his throat. “Tony’s in danger.” He whispered to himself.

“What’s happened?” Natasha asked immediately. She took the binoculars from him and gasped. She handed them to Sam who swore. “Steve, we’ve got to go back.”

“The American government will have our heads on a platter if we do.” Sam said.

“We’ve got no choice. We have to go back. Steve, Tony’s dead for all intents and purposes, and aliens have come to New York again. You know what happened the last time.” Natasha said insistently.

Before Steve could reply, he heard a crash. He looked down and there was a big beast of a man stalking toward Vision. He watched horrified as the man picked Vision up and threw him aside like he was nothing more than a piece of meat. Wanda screamed and Steve saw her fighting a woman of a pale complexion.  He looked at Natasha and asked. “Do you know who they are?”

Natasha shook her head. “No, I’ve never seen them before.” They watched for a moment, horrified as Vision almost had his head ripped open, and Wanda was ripped apart, not physically but mentally. “What do they want?” Natasha asked.

Steve said nothing for a moment, he looked at the way the big man went for Vision’s head, and then it clicked. “They’re going for the stone in Vision’s head. We need to stop them.” He leapt down from the building, landing with a thud. He grabbed a pole and hurled it at the big man. It hit the big man on the back of the head, causing him to turn around. Steve took a breath and then picked up something else and threw it. It hit the big man and then the big man launched himself at Steve.

Steve braced himself for the impact and when it came, it hit him like an iron rod. The big man was strong as well as big. He packed quite the punch, Steve had to duck and dodge numerous times to prevent himself from being snapped in half. He knew the big man was angry by the way he fought. No sane and rational fighter would fight to kill immediately. Steve ducked and stepped backwards, tiring out the big fellow. When he saw an opportunity he jumped up and hit the fellow on the head and then kicked him. The big man went flying. Vision came in and threw him aside as well.

Steve turned around and saw that Natasha and Wanda were fighting the woman. Steve moved to Vision and asked him. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, though I fear the fight is not over, Captain.” Vision replied. In that moment the big man appeared again and grabbed Vision. Steve grabbed the big man’s leg and started hammering at it. He got enough hits in to force the big man to let go of Vision, but then the big man turned and kicked him in the face, sending him flying back. Steve hit the building with a solid thud. He groaned slightly, before getting back up. He looked around, Vision and the big man were gone, so was Sam. Wanda was on the floor, and Natasha was struggling.

Steve dusted himself off, and then ran at the woman. He tackled her from behind causing her to grunt with surprise. She turned around before they hit the ground and threw him away. He could have sworn he heard a bone crack, which worried him. But he ignored it and moved back to fight the woman. He and Natasha hit her with alternate blows going high and low. Twisting and weaving through the carnage to find a point where she was weakest. Eventually the woman pushed them both aside and moved to where her friend the big man was, he held Sam in his hands, crushing him.

“Ignore him, get the one with the stone.” The woman said to the big man, no doubt for their benefit.

Sam was dropped like a lead weight before the beast moved onto pastures new. Steve ran to Sam, who wasn’t moving. He panicked for a moment before Natasha came to him and said. “Go, I’ll keep an eye on Sam.” Steve nodded in gratitude before moving onward. He ran as fast as he could, finding Wanda and Vision fighting the big man and his female friend. Steve launched himself at the big man, hammering away with everything he had. As the big man turned and twisted trying to throw him off, Steve yelled at Vision.

“Go, go to Natasha.” Vision flew off. Steve scrambled up the big man, finding his hands around the big man’s eyes and then he pressed in. He kept himself pinned to the big man as the beast began to scream or roar or whatever it was that the big man did. Eventually, he heard the sickening sound of a bursting that signalled that the big man’s eyes were gone. Battered, and bruised, Steve jumped off and landed on his back, whilst the big man landed forward.

Slowly Steve got up and looked at the woman. “Your friend is dead. I suggest you leave.”

The woman looked at him and snarled. A beam of light came taking her and her friend up into the light. Before she disappeared for good, she said. “This isn’t over. Our King will come.” Then she disappeared.

Steve looked at Wanda and said. “I thought I told you to keep in touch regularly.” Before Wanda could say anything, Steve hugged her and then they walked back to where Natasha was. Vision was healing Sam. “We need to go to New York, you’re right. We need to see what’ s happened and who these people are.”

There was a pause and then Sam groaned and coughed. Natasha looked at him and said. “Lead the way, Captain.”


	7. Challenge Of The Immigrant

** Chapter 7: Challenge Of The Immigrant **

****

A message had come covered in red and gold, the colours of Sif’s house, some two months ago, and Thor had still not been able to decipher the message. It had spoken in riddles about a snake and a viper weaving themselves together. But there had been no mention of Sif. He still did not know where she was, and Heimdell could not see her. He had had to put that to the side though when word had come from New York. Thanos had sent his minions to get one of the stones there, and so, Thor had ordered the defences strengthened, he’d also met with the Kings of Norway and Sweden and the Queen of Denmark to discuss plans for defence with them. The King of Norway was old by human years but he still demanded the right to fight alongside Thor and so Thor had agreed reluctantly. Human weapons would do nothing against Thanos and his army, therefore Thor had commanded Enchantress and Loki to imbue the Norwegian King and his heir with the abilities of the demis that had once lived in this part of the world.

His brother came to stand at his side, pulling Thor from his worries. “How does it all stand?” He asked.

“Well enough.” Loki said. “The sorcerers know when to strike and they know what to look for.”

Thor wanted to ask his brother how he was feeling, but decided that such a question would perhaps not be the best thing to ask right now. They had been fighting side by side for millennia after all. Heimdell came to stand at their side then. “What do you see?” Thor asked his friend instead.

“They will be coming from the sky, right above where we stand.” Heimdell said.

Thor looked up and said. “They will try and fire at the walls to break them down.”

“Well then perhaps we ought to have some thunder so they don’t know quite where to look?” Loki suggested.

“Agreed.” Thor responded, he focused and then pulled the clouds together and separated them, internally he spoke to each one and commanded them to obey him. They began to grumble and groan and soon the sky was dark. He looked up then, and saw a ship appearing. He tensed. He expected a laser blast but instead there was a beam, and a creature descended to hover above them.

“I am Ebony Maw, the hail of Thanos, the Great Titan. You have been chosen to be warned that His Majesty wishes only for one thing, for the Tessaract to be given to him and he will leave you all alone.” The blue creature said.

Thor shouted back. “He will never get it. I know what he wants to do with it, and he shall not get it.”

Ebony Maw sighed. “Then you have chosen to watch your people die, Thor Odinson.” Maw turned and waved a hand up to the ship which beamed down an entire army. Thor swallowed. “Attack.” Maw commanded and the herd ran toward Thor and the walls of New Asgard.

Thor waited and watched, the enemy was coming ever closer. Filled not with humans, but with half beast, half alien things, no doubt the result of experiments conducted by Maw and his sick disciples, or perhaps Thanos and his subjects? Thor did not know much about Thanos and he did not care to know more. All he knew was that the titan was mad and must be stopped. As the enemy came within striking distance, Thor willed the clouds to open, he hurled the lightning at the advancing enemy, as Loki unleashed bolts of energy at them. The first few lines crumpled into dust, but more of them came. Thor unleashed more thunder, and he saw that his subjects were unleashing their skills. Fire, water, blizzards all were being unleashed. He looked at Loki and asked. “Can you handle him?”

Loki smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.” With that his brother disappeared. Thor didn’t bother looking up he knew his brother and he knew the fight up in the sky would be something else.

He looked around and then saw the Norwegian King approaching him. “King Harald.”

“King Thor.” The man replied. “What do you wish of me and my people?”

“Nothing, wait here.” Thor said. “We are not going to open these gates and engage them unless we really have to.”

King Harald nodded and then said. “We should keep firing at them though, perhaps that sonic cannon that you possess?”

“The world destroyer?” Thor asked. He’d had the thing in his tent for millennia, never having had to use it, he’d forgotten about it, until he’d seen the news on New York. “No, I think not.”

King Harald said nothing. Thor continued firing the lightning at the enemy, willing their lines to be completely destroyed, but they kept on coming. He directed tropics at them and they continued to come. He roared in frustration, his anger getting the better of his common sense, he leapt into the air and came down in the centre of them all. Thunder and lightning sounded and the world turned around him. When he blinked, half of the enemy died there and then and the other half turned tail and ran. He killed them all himself then.

Thor did not stop to think; he just took flight and destroyed the enemy where he found them. His hammer did the most work, swinging and decapitating enemies, but he also directed the elements to his favour. He had never quite understood the powers he had been given by the All Father, until today. Today he knew he was not just Thor Odinson, he was the God of Thunder. He unleashed chaos on the enemy ranks and as he stopped, he heard his people cheering. He flew back to the city walls and saw Heimdell looking at him.

“What?” He asked.

“I thought you had gotten over showing off, Your Majesty.” Heimdell replied.

Before Thor could so much as laugh, his brother came crashing down to them. Loki was covered in blood and grime. “Brother!” Thor said. “Are you alright?”

Loki got up and then said. “Ebony Maw’s not the problem, it’s his bloody father that is.”

Thor looked up and saw Maw descending toward them. “Leave him to me.” He shot up into the air, and before Maw could so much as move his hands Thor was on him. He swung his hammer and Maw went flying, he swung it again and Maw was bleeding, he swung it a third time and Maw’s head flew to the ground, dissolving on impact. Thor landed and looked at his brother. “Wasn’t so hard.”

Loki got up and laughed and then said. “Look again, brother.”

And so, Thor did. He looked again and where there had been nothing, there was a new army. A woman led them, and they came storming toward the walls, just as ice giants descended on them from above. “He brought the Jotunn!” Thor exclaimed, rising to meet them, he killed one or two before being thrown down to the ground. He got back up and was about to go again when Heimdell came to him.

“Sire, you are better served dealing with the woman and her army, Loki and I shall handle the Jotunn.” Heimdell said.

“Very well.” Thor decided. “King Harald.” He called and the man came to him. “It is time for us to fight.” He looked at the sentries and barked. “Open the gates.” The gates slowly opened and Thor took off, he found himself in the thick of it. Stormbreaker came and went like a mad person, Thor himself felt possessed. He took life here and there, and watched as the woman came ever closer.

She was clearly the commander, and the one to beat. He advanced closer toward her, wiping out half the actual army in the process. But before he could truly get her measure he saw her decapitate King Harald and then kill Prince Haakon in a matter of moments. Thor moved on her, he would avenge this insult. He swung at her hard and the sky roared with anger. She fought back. She was good, but he was much better. He swung his hammer and took the time to assess her.

She was strong on her front foot, but weak when pushed. She was clearly not used to fighting someone who was her better. He soon had removed her right hand and her left and was about to go for the killing blow when a voice called out. “Enough!” Thor stopped, his axe mere inches away from the woman’s neck. He turned around and found himself looking at a purple monstrosity.

“Who are you? The arse end of the world?” Thor asked.

“I am Thanos, the Titan. And I have come for the Tessaract.” The purple creature said.

It took Thor a moment to realise, but then it hit him, the purple creature held Loki by the throat. “Why do you hold my brother then?”

“Because you value his life.” Thanos said. “Give me the Tessaract and he lives. Which is a generous thing I do, because of how he betrayed me.”

“You will use that stone to destroy the world.” Thor said.

Thanos said nothing he merely tightened his grip on Loki’s neck causing Thor’s brother to sputter out blood. “Fine!” Thor said then. He did not want his brother to die. “Loki give it to him.” Loki was let go of, and waved his hands handing the Tessaract over. Thor saw the dagger come into his brother’s hand and then and wanted to protest, but before he could, Loki had lunged at Thanos, the dagger just touched the purple Titan before being turned on Loki and burying itself deep within his chest.

“Such foolishness.” Thanos said before he snapped his fingers and took the woman with him, disappearing into the ship.

Thor came to his brother then and asked. “Why? Why did you do it?”

“Because death is not the end, brother.” Loki sputtered.


	8. A Broken Iron Man

** Chapter 8: A Broken Iron Man **

****

“It’s all gone to shit.” Tony said as he shifted slightly on the bed in the Avengers Tower. This place had once been a compound where he’d tested weapons, then it had been home to Earth’s mightiest heroes. Now it looked like a graveyard. He looked at Rhodey and Pepper and sighed. “I don’t know what to do.” That mere confession made him sag into the bed.

Pepper came to sit next to him and she said. “We’ll figure it out together, we always do.”

“Yeah, it’s nothing too serious, right?” Rhodey joked. “Just a big alien has one of the infinity stones and wants to use the rest to destroy half the universe.”

Tony coughed and laughed at the same time. “Pretty much.”

“What are the Infinity Stones?” Pepper asked.

Not for the first time, Tony found himself looking at his fiancé and wondering how she had remained with him through all the insanity. If he’d been in her shoes, he’d have left his sorry ass at least several times by now and never looked back. Perhaps Pepper was made of sterner stuff than anyone on the Avengers team. As he looked at her he made a silent promise that he’d never put her in this sort of danger again, if they defeated Thanos. He cleared his throat and said. “Wong, you’re probably best placed to explain.” Wong had come from the Sanctum something or the other, leaving some acolyte named Warlock to defend the place.

Wong cleared his throat and said. “In the beginning there was nothing and then the big bang came, and the celestials who created it shaped six stones to help control the universe. But one of those celestials went mad and tried to use them to change the future, and thus there was a great war. At its end, the celestial who had gone mad was destroyed and the six stones were scatted to the wind, with one celestial to watch over each of them. Over time, the celestials disappeared or died, no one is quite sure what happened to them, but one of the stones the Time stone came to rest with the Immortal One, and eventually with Dr Strange, now that he is gone, Thanos has one of the stones and has the ability to warp time, and travel through time to any point he wants. The other stones are scattered throughout the universe.”

Wong finished and Tony said. “Well actually one of the stones is in Vision, the Mind stone, so Thanos will no doubt have sent his goons after Vision. There’s another stone somewhere, I think it was on Asgard, and would have been destroyed.”

Wong interrupted him. “There was news whilst you were asleep Mr Stark, Asgard has fallen and Thor said that Loki gave the Tessaract to Thanos.”

“So, he has two stones.” Tony said a sinking feeling coming over him.

“But not the other four he needs to do whatever he needs to do.” Pepper said quickly. “Do you know where the other stones are?”

Wong shook his head. “Nobody knows except their owners. That was how it was deigned best to protect them from someone who would want to do what the celestial who fell wanted to do.”

Rhodey spoke then. “Why does Thanos want the stones? What exactly does he want to do with them?”

“He wants to wipe out half the universe.” Tony said.

“I know that,” Rhodey said. “But why?”

“Does there have to be a why?” Tony snapped. “The thing is obviously mad; he wants to wipe out half of life because he thinks the universe is suffering from over population and he wants to restore balance and order.”

Pepper gasped. “Like the Order of the Knights of Hydra.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Years ago I heard a story about some organisation that firmly believed that the world was over populated and they wanted to remove half the world’s population through some means or the other. I think their method was through a virus that would target the minorities of the world. Or non-white people, and render them sterile.” Pepper said.

“I remember that.” Tony said. “Steve helped shut them down.” He paused a thought coming to him then. “Do you think they got influence from him or he got influence from them?”

“Well, from what you’ve said and what research I’ve been able to do, he’s been doing this for millennia, so it’s likely they got their influence from him.” Wong said.

“If he’s been doing this for millennia, he’s not been doing a very good job.” Tony joked before wincing at the pain in his ribs. “What’s been happening outside?” He had very few memories after the fight had started, all he remembered was being battered and bruised and then he’d woken up here, that had been three days ago.

“The city is in a panic, the Mayor is shutting down the borders, and the President is ordering the army into New York in case Thanos shows up again. There’s even been talk that a nuclear bomb might be used should the enemy come again.” Pepper said. “And there’s been word from New Asgard, Loki is dead, and Thor is trying to rebuild his Kingdom again.”

“He’s not trying to find Thanos?” Tony asked surprised. The Thor he remembered would’ve stopped at nothing to find the man responsible for his brother’s death.

“He has a Kingdom to rule, and the King of Norway and his family were wiped out by Thanos’ minions. The people of Norway have offered him the throne.” Pepper said.

“And Thor being Thor, he accepted?” Tony asked. He could not imagine his friend as a King, that seemed just too strange.

“Yes, it seems so. He said he’d send someone to New York to brief us.” Pepper said.

“On what?” Tony asked. “We know Thanos is coming back and we know he’s going to try something.”

“Precisely that.” Pepper said.

“What?” Tony asked.

“The fact that Thanos will come back most likely if he hasn’t already gotten the stone from Vision and that we will need to be prepared.” Pepper said.

“Ah, right.” Tony said. “Right, well I’ve got work to do.” He went to get up but sat back down with a crash, wincing in pain.

“You’re in no fit state to do anything other than rest, Mr.” Pepper said.

Tony grimaced, but then Wong said. “I need to go back to the Sanctum, I shall let you know if anything else changes.” With that he opened up a portal and walked through it, the portal closed behind him.

“No matter what I see, this shit always amazes me.” Rhodey said before he too walked out of the room, leaving Tony alone with Pepper.

They sat in silence, Pepper’s head rest against his chest. Tony thought on everything that had happened, the nightmares the fight and everything else. He felt guilt. He’d failed and now Strange would likely lose his life because of it. He didn’t like Strange, the man was cocky and arrogant, but still nobody deserved to die like that. “Don’t.” Pepper said suddenly.

“Don’t what?” Tony asked.

“Don’t do that.” Pepper replied pulling away to look at him.

“Do what?” He asked confused.

“You’re overthinking everything, and blaming yourself for everything that’s happened.” Pepper said.

“Well can you blame me?” Tony asked raising an eyebrow. “I lost Strange and the stone, Peter’s in a coma, unable to breathe or do anything without a tube, and that’s my fault. His aunt won’t leave his bedside.” Tony felt a pang of guilt over that. “Thanos has two of the stones, he likely will get a third now, because I’m not there to protect Vision, and the universe will suffer for it.”

“You don’t know that.” Pepper said. “And Peter made his own mind up to come and help you, he could’ve remained on that bus. His aunt knows that and she understands that. You can’t blame yourself for that.”

“I can and I will.” Tony protested. “The kid is my responsibility, I brought him into all of this and I messed up and I…” his voice broke then and he couldn’t speak anymore. Pepper pulled him to her and held him whilst he fought the emotions inside him that were threatening to tear him apart.

Eventually, they sat in silence and for a time Tony just held Pepper’s hand enjoying the moment and not wanting it to end, but then Rhodey walked in, his face a strange mix of worry and happiness. “We have guests.”

“Who?” Tony asked, getting ready to fight if necessary.

Before Rhodey could respond, a figure walked in, with a beard and in blue and red. “Hi Tony.” The figure said.

“You look like shit.” Tony said to the man he’d thought he’d never see again.

“Language.” Steve Rogers replied before he broke out into a smile.


	9. Captain, Oh Captain

** Chapter 9: Captain, Oh Captain **

****

Steve took a seat next to Tony, Natasha, Wanda and Vision and Sam stood around them. It had been two years since he’d last been in the Avengers tower, when there’d been a grand old argument between him and Tony over the Accords. And now here they were. Back again, perhaps not friends, but definitely in need of one another. He cleared his throat and asked.

“What happened? We saw the news about New York.”

Tony shifted. “Thanos sent his minions here. They were after one of the stones. Someone called Dr Strange had the time stone. There was a battle, we fought, we lost. Strange is probably dead and Thanos has the time stone.” Tony sounded so defeated it hurt Steve to see his friend like that.

“And you?” He asked. “What about you?”

“What do you mean?” Tony asked.

“How did you end up like this?” Steve responded gesturing to where his friend sat, and how badly injured he seemed.

“Oh, I fought, I got knocked out and got wounded. Peter…” Tony said before he trailed off. “Spider man is unconscious.” There was something in his friend’s voice that told Steve that that hurt Tony more than any wounds he himself had received.

“What happened to you?” Rhodey asked.

Steve turned to him and then to Tony and said. “We were in Scotland, just making sure things were okay there, after all I’d heard there was something odd going on there. And then these things came down and attacked Wanda and Vision.”

Vision spoke then. “They were after the stone in my head. No doubt Thanos knew about it.”

“What happened then?” Pepper asked.

“We fought and we killed one of them before the other one fled back into a ship.” Natasha said. She came to stand behind Steve and he felt her presence like a comfort around him.

“So, Thanos has one of the stones, but didn’t get the stone in your head. He will come back.” Tony said simply.

“Yes, that’s why we came back here.” Steve said. “We need to work together to ensure that Thanos is not successful. I don’t know what he wants the stones for, but we cannot let him get them.”

“He’s mad.” Tony said. “He believes that he has the right to choose who lives and dies. He believes that the universe is facing a population crisis and that he needs the stones to send half of the universe into the abyss.”

Steve felt like he’d been hit in the face. “So, he’s like the Nazis then?”

“I don’t know whether he’s the same or worse. He’s not discriminating against anyone; he just wants half the universe to die.” Tony said.

“DO we know where the other stones are?” Steve asked.

“One of them was in New Asgard with Thor.” Pepper said then. “It was taken by Thanos after he killed Thor’s brother.”

“Loki had the Tessaract?” Natasha asked sounding shocked.

“Yes.” Tony said. “Did you meet Thor?”

Steve shook his head. “I haven’t met Thor since the day we finished with Ultron. Why?”

“Because he had sent a message saying he’d be sending someone to talk with us.” Rhodey said.

“Well, unfortunately that’s not us.” Steve replied.

Wanda had been silent for most of this time but then she spoke and she sounded impatient. “Do you have the ability to remove the stone from Vision’s head and keep him alive?”

Steve saw something like annoyance and then understanding cross Tony’s face in an instant. His words were measured when he responded. “Could you not use your powers to take the stone out of his head?”

“Yes, but not keep him alive.” Wanda said.

Steve looked at Tony and asked. “I know you were developing some sort of tech the last time we met, could it do what needs to be done?” He hadn’t approved of a lot of what Tony had done since Ultron, but then there had been things he’d done that he knew Tony hadn’t approved of.

“I tried to develop something like what you need, but there was nothing concrete that I could develop that worked. It all broke.” Tony said sounding disheartened.

“Can you make another?” Wanda asked sounding desperate.

“No, it would take far too long.” Tony said. “Thanos will return to get that stone. And it must be out of Vision’s head before then.”

“SO, where do we go?” Wanda asked.

“Wakanda will likely have what you need.” Tony said. “I’ve spoken with their King, they’ve got tech that would take us in the States another twenty years to discover, let alone make.”

“Wakanda is far.” Wanda said. “And I’m not sure I trust them.”

“What about Asgard?” Natasha asked. “Thor is sure to have something that could work?”

“I’m sure he does.” Tony said. “I can give you another jet, to use as a diversion.”

“A diversion?” Wanda asked.

Steve knew what Tony was implying. “We place Vision in one jet, and then get someone to take on the heat signature of the mind stone to disguise Vision and confuse anyone who might be looking.”

“You can do that?” Natasha asked looking at Tony.

“I can yes, I’ve got it built into my suit.” Tony responded.

“Tony you’re too unwell to go and do this.” Pepper protested.

“If I don’t do this then Thanos will come back and Vision will die.” Tony replied.

Before Pepper could protest more, Wanda said. “Okay, let’s do it.”

There was a moment’s pause and then Steve said. “Okay, go get ready. I need to talk with Tony.” With that Wanda and Vision left the room, Rhodey did as well, but Natasha and Pepper remained.

Steve looked at his friend and said. “Tony, about Sekovia, I’m sorry.”

Tony got up and winced. “We’ve got bigger things to worry about right now.” With that he took his shirt and put it on and then began working on something Steve couldn’t see.

“Tony, I need to know that you trust me enough to work together.” Steve said.

Tony sighed and turned around. “I trust you enough to fight alongside you. That’s all I can say.”

With that Steve knew he’d get no more out of his friend, so he got up and left. Natasha walked with him, and as they walked she said. “I’m sure he will come around eventually. He can’t stay mad at you forever.”

Steve laughed. “It’s Tony, I think he could if he really wanted to.” They kept walking and then got into the main theatre room where they’d all once planned out their missions. “Do you know where Fury is? I’m surprised he hasn’t tried to get in touch.”

“He might be waiting and watching to see what we do before he gets in touch.” Natasha replied. “Plus Shield has been compromised so much recently I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s laying low as well.”

Rhodey walked in and said. “Shield’s been shut down.” There was a pause as the man stopped to take a swig of a water bottle and then continued. “After the Sekovia Accords and the fight between you and Tony, Shield was investigated and found to be critically mismanaged it was shut down. Fury was supposed to be facing prison time but he disappeared before he could be charged. Colson left as well.”

Steve snorted. “No doubt some government servant decided to come up with a good excuse for that. Especially given the FBI is riddled with foreign enemies.” He’d done his homework on the FBI and what he’d found left much to be desired.

Rhodey didn’t say anything, instead he brought up a few maps on the screen. “The best way to get to New Asgard is by plan to Oslo and then taking the cars. It’s about an hour out. But we can always let Thor now ahead of time and let him sort something out.”

Just as Rhodey had finished saying that, a portal opened and out walked Bruce Banner, covered in blood and dirt, his clothes torn. “Bruce!” Natasha was immediately at his side and just for a moment, Steve felt a pang of jealous before he crushed it and was at his friend’s side as well.

“Bruce, what’s happened?” Steve asked.

His friend looked tired and broken. He managed to gasp out one sentence before sleep claimed him. “Thanos came back. New Asgard is destroyed.”

Steve looked at Bruce and then Natasha. “Shit.”


	10. Are You A Man?

** Chapter 10: Are You A Man? **

****

They heard the crash and then cursing. Wanda and Vision alongside Tony and Sam rushed into the main room where Steve and Natasha were. Wanda gasped as she saw Bruce Banner lying there covered in blood, his clothes on. She looked at Steve and asked. “What happened?”

Bruce spoke. “Thanos came and attacked New Asgard, said he wanted to settle things once and for all and remove a pressing threat.”

Wanda looked at Bruce and then at Steve and saw the concern etched all over his face. Vision was the one spoke and asked the question they’d all been thinking. “What happened to Thor?”

Bruce sat up with Natasha’s help. “Killed, slain during the fighting.”

Bruce was helped into a chair, and Tony who was being propped up by his fiancé spoke. “You survived though, how?”

Wanda saw something shift in Bruce’s eyes then. They went from their normal colour to green and back again. She looked at Vision but he was looking at Bruce intently. “I was having trouble transforming into the big guy, so Heimdell who can open portals did so and sent me here. I don’t know how he knew where to send me but here I am.”

Bruce spread his arms open wide and winced. “You need to be seen to.” Natasha said.

Wanda didn’t miss the strange look that flitted over Steve’s face as she said that. Wanda had seen the growing tension between Steve and Natasha over the past two years and she knew something was going to come of it at some point. “I can do it.” Wanda said then. Deciding she needed to know more. Something about Bruce didn’t sit right with her.

She moved to where he was sitting and began moving her hands. Focusing she asked. “Where does it hurt the most?”

“By my chest and my legs.” Bruce replied. This close, his voice sounded weird to her. Bruce’s voice was usually quite deep, but this time his voice was higher. Perhaps it was just the bruises he’d taken.

She waved her hands and listened as Tony asked more questions. “You couldn’t change into the big guy? Why?”

“I don’t know.” Bruce said, wincing slightly as her magic washed over him. That was odd, the past few times she’d helped heal Steve and Natasha they’d never flinched. “Something’s not right between us. I think I need to conduct some more experiments.”

“Experiments?” that was Natasha there was concern in her voice. “What sort of experiments?”

“The kind that will help me decide whether it is possible to separate from the big guy.” Bruce responded, he literally twisted in on himself when she got to his ribs.

“Sorry!” She said stepping back. That confirmed it for her, if this was Bruce he was too damaged to heal, or if it was not, then who could it be?

“It’s fine.” Bruce said straightening out.

“Are you sure?” Wanda asked.

“Yes, go for it.” Bruce replied, smiling, but in manner that was not the way the Bruce Banner she knew would smile.

Vision saw it clearly, for he came to stand behind her and asked. “You said Thanos came back because he wanted to remove the threat of New Asgard, correct?”

“Yes.” Bruce replied his face contorting slightly, though nobody else seemed to notice.

“Why?” Vision asked. “They had already given him everything he needed in the Tessaract. What else could they do to him? Why didn’t he come here, to where I am?”

“I don’t know, and to be honest I didn’t stop to think. I just wanted to get away.” Bruce said.

“Wait, you wanted to what?” Steve asked then, looking at Bruce with clear eyes.

The face before her changed, it went from stocky and muscular to slanted with hooded eyes, the hair grew longer, it changed to brown and then red. And the face before them was no longer Bruce’s, but the face of someone else. Before the figure could move, Wanda uttered a few words and placed chains around the figure. “Who are you?” She demanded.

“I am Lorelei, sorceress supreme of Asgard.” The figure replied.

“What?!” Wanda exclaimed.

“Do you know who that is?” Steve asked, looking at her.

It was Vision who replied. “A most dangerous and powerful sorceress who caused the great flood from the Bible, who killed the Pharaoh’s firstborn son and who also helped Hitler start the Holocaust. Thor didn’t know about that last one though.”

The woman grinned madly. “Oh indeed, the poor boy thought I was dead. That I’d died after a mishap with his brother, Loki. But I didn’t die. Instead I lived to grow more powerful with every day.”

“What are you doing here?” Natasha demanded.

Wanda was desperately aware that if the woman before her broke out of her chains she’d be the only one able to fight her. And that got her to thinking, why hadn’t the woman broken out of her chains. She was clearly powerful enough to do so. The woman laughed. “I have come to see who it is that Thanos is going to destroy.”

“Is New Asgard gone? What did you do with Bruce?” Steve demanded.

“Asgard remains, as does your human.” Lorelei said. “But I have come from elsewhere, where the fires of hell burn deep. Your time is at an end humans.”

“You are working for Thanos?” Tony asked, looking for all the world as if he’d love nothing more than to just kill the thing before them.

“No, I do not work for anyone. I simply come to observe. I know what is going to happen to you all, for I have seen it.” Lorelei said.

“Oh yeah?” Natasha asked. “And what’s that?”

Lorelei’s gaze shifted to Wanda and she shivered. “You will lose everything. Everything will die and this world will become the greatest barren waste of all.”

It was then that it clicked in her. “She’s lying.” Before anyone else could ask what she meant, she waved her hands and the figure contorted again, this time a green monster stood before them.

“The revolution is coming, my mistress shall prevail!” the figure roared before exploding.

The moment the dust settled, everyone looked at her and it was Tony who asked. “How did you know she was lying?”

“Because of the way her body moved. I didn’t know if she was some sort of god or alien, but I knew she wasn’t human. Furthermore, the last time Lorelei appeared on Earth was 1943, nobody knows where she went, but she’d never come here. She’d always go to Asgard.”

“Why?” Steve asked.

“Because that is where Loki would have been.” Wanda responded.

“So, what was that thing?” Natasha asked.

“Who cares.” Was the reply from Tony. “What we need to do now is prepare to head to Wakanda and sort things out. Even if Asgard isn’t gone, we can’t risk it.”

“Right.” Steve said. “Let’s go, we’ve dawdled enough.”

They all left, but Wanda couldn’t help but think they were missing something and that thing was the reason for it.


	11. How To Be King?

** Chapter 11: How To Be A King? **

****

“Sire, we need to urgently discuss the looming threat that is being discussed right now by the European Union.” Some nameless faceless minister said to him. Thor looked at him and wondered how he had gotten here, then he remembered. The entire Norwegian Royal Family had been destroyed by Thanos and the people of Norway had proclaimed him their King. He’d been crowned in Oslo, with the same crown he’d given the very first King of Norway millennia ago. It was quite something to see it placed on his head now.

Of course that had come with its own problems. The humans had so much bureaucracy and paper work that needed to be done before anything else could get done it was driving him mad. And of course, because he ruled a human nation he could not spar with them to burn his frustration away, nor could he spar with his fellow Asgardians lest the humans get annoyed or upset. It was driving him mad. “Go on.” He commanded.

The minister continued. “They are saying that we need to decide whether we are for the Withdrawal Agreement or if we are against it. And that we needed to decide before the month is out.”

Ah, the Withdrawal Agreement, it was not some act of love making as he’d first thought, but instead some agreement between this union of countries known as the European Union and another nation Britain, and the terms of Britain leaving from the European Union. Perhaps Britain was smart to leave if they were getting away from all this needless paper work. He did not know. Regardless he sighed. “Very well, remind me again of what the terms are.”

“In return for Britain leaving the European Union, they must agree to preventing a border with the Republic of Ireland, they must agree to remain in the Customs Union for a period of twelve months alongside Northern Ireland and they must agree to submit themselves to a treaty on the economy.” The minister said.

“Did this Britain decide to leave because they were defeated in a war?” Thor asked, for what he heard sounded as though it was the treaty of war. He had seen what had happened when similar terms had been imposed on Germany after World War One, he had fought there and then as well.

“No, Sire. This is what Britain’s negotiators have managed to get from the European Union.” The minister said.

“Then they are poor negotiators indeed.” Thor said, something which drew laughs from the assembled ministers. He looked at Heimdell, and saw his friend shaking his head. His friend was the only Asgardian he knew who could stomach these long and pointless meetings.

“Your answer, Sire?” the minister asked.

“My answer is that I agree to these terms. If the British are foolish enough to negotiate this, then they deserve to be subjected to it.” Thor said. The minister made a note and then stopped speaking.

Another nameless and faceless minister spoke, this one had tried to force his wife into Thor’s bed. Thor had been most disgusted with the man. “Sire, there is another issue that requires our attention.”

The minister seemed almost embarrassed as he said that. “Go on.” Thor commanded. Perhaps he would go for a round of flying around Norway to see how his people were doing. That would more than likely give him a more accurate impression than any of this nonsense.

“There are number of racist groups who have taken to using your image as a sign of the end of times.” The minister said.

“What do you mean, racist?” Thor asked.

“They are claiming that Your Imperial Majesty’s presence here is a sign that they are the superior race, and they have begun demanding that the non-white people of Norway conform to worshipping you, otherwise they will kill them.” the minister all but whispered.

That horrified Thor. “And have they actually done this?”

“Yes, there was one Asian man who was killed with his wife and daughter because he refused to worship the icon that was thrust in his face.” The minister said.

Outside the sky crackled, and Thor snarled. “What happened to the man who committed the crime?”

“She was imprisoned, Sire, but she claims that you gave her permission to do it.” the minister said.

“I would never.” Thor snarled, and the storm got worse outside. “I want this person brought here as soon as possible so I can deal with them myself.”

“Yes, Sire.” The minister responded. There was a brief moment of silence and then the same minister asked. “What about Thanos, Sire?”

The mention of Thanos made his heart lurch as he remembered Loki. “What about him?” He asked.

“Will he return? If so, what are we going to do to prepare? I know the European Union is preparing but I think we should also be prepared.” The minister said.

“The European Union cannot defeat Thanos with paper.” Thor said, which drew a laugh, but then he pushed on. “Thanos will not return here, he needs the stones and he got what he needed. No, he will venture elsewhere, and we shall likely need to aid those nations which come under his attack.”

“Why?” another minister asked, this one had blonde hair and blue eyes, and a strange mark on their face. “If he is not coming back to Norway, why must we bother with other nations?”

“Because if he returns to Earth, it will be to get one of the infinity stones and if he gets one of those stones, then all life not just on Earth but in the universe is in danger.” Thor replied.

“How do you know?” this same man asked.

“Because those stones were created during the explosion that created life in this universe, and it will ensure that life can end if they are brought together.” Thor said.

“Only half of life will end, no?” the same man asked.

“Yes.” Thor conceded.

“Then what is the issue? Some of our enemies will go.” The minister replied.

 

Thor pulled the minister to be hovering above the ground in front of him, outside the storm was destroying the trees. “Our enemies might go, but so too will our allies. There is no telling who will go in the snap, and I would rather not find out. And neither should you.” He flung the man out of the window and said. “This meeting is dismissed, get out all of you.” The ministers hurriedly stood up and bowed before departing.

Once they were gone, Heimdell commented. “They are truly a strange lot.”

“You’re telling me. I don’t know when they became like this. The humans I’ve met have always been kind of heart and generous.” Thor said. “Not greedy, not bureaucratic and certainly not cowardly.”

Heimdell laughed softly. “You have met only heroes and good people. Not politicians. Politicians are the same wherever they might be. Asgardian or human, they are always the same.”

Thor scowled. “Perhaps I should kill them all and then just rule by myself and meet with the people personally.”

“That would not be wise.” Heimdell said.

Before Thor could ask why, one of the Asgardian guards came hurrying in, the man bowed and then said. “Sire, there is someone here to see you.”

“I’m too busy.” Thor said dismissively.

Before the guard could reply, the doors flew open and a figure strolled in, and Thor felt his heart in his mouth when he saw her. “What too busy to speak with an old friend.”

“Sif.” He breathed out.

She bowed and said. “Your Imperial Majesty.”


	12. Sif

** Chapter 12: Sif **

****

Sif looked at Thor, he looked like a King, dressed in white, his hair short, a crown atop his head. He looked very much like how she had imagined he always would. And because of that she felt the familiar fluttering in her stomach, she pushed that down though and waited for him to speak. He was staring at her so much she was worried she might start blushing as she had done when she’d first come into womanhood, eventually though Thor blinked and spoke.

“Where have you been?” He demanded.

“Are you asking as my King or as my friend?” Sif asked. Knowing she was already pushing her luck.

Thor looked at her and then said. “Both.”

“After the fighting with the dark elves, I knew something was wrong, you’d gone back to Midgard to help the humans, but something had changed. Odin wasn’t the same, he had become lazy, he was issuing all these self-aggrandizing projects and glorifying Loki in a way that did not suit him. SO, I did what I do best, I confronted him about it, and he said something that made me realise he was Loki.” Sif said.

“What did he say?” Thor asked.

“Greatness is not recognised by mere mortals.” Sif said. “Something that the All Father would never say even at his most pompous. I knew who he was then and he knew it. So, I fled before he could arrest me. I took a ship and went travelling. I went to Midgard to find you to tell you about Loki but you weren’t there, your friend Tony Stark told me you’d gone travelling. I didn’t know where to start looking for you, so I travelled across all the nine realms and more.”

She saw Thor’s eyes widen, and for a moment she was happy to see that, but then she pushed that down. “You travelled across the nine realms looking for me?”

“Yes. I needed to find you to tell you what had happened.” Sif said. “I didn’t know where you were though. Eventually, I got captured by the Nidhogg and had to fight my away out its realm. By that point my ship was destroyed so I took another ship, and found out Asgard had been destroyed and that the All Father was dead. I knew you would try to return to Midgard so I set a course to come here.”

She paused then remembering what had happened and the horrors that still kept her up at night. “Something else happened?” Thor asked.

“Not something, someone.” Sif replied.

“Who?” Thor asked.

Sif took a deep breath to prepare herself for what she had to say next. “Lorelei. She found me as I was trying to get to Midgard. She took me prisoner and tortured me.”

“Lorelei?” Thor gasped. “But she died.”

Sif shook her head. “She lived, she was brought back to life by something. Who I do not know, but she was alive. I used everything I had to fight her off and survive.”

“How did you get here then?” Thor asked.

“I found these people called the Guardians of the Galaxy. Their leader Starlord told me that they were looking for something. A way to stop Thanos, they said they needed to find an infinity stone.” Sif said, remembering what had happened next.

“What did you tell them?” Thor asked.

“I mentioned there was one on Knowhere, but I didn’t say which one. I didn’t even know which one it was. They helped repair my ship and then sent me on my way. But as I was travelling, I got a message. They were asking for help.” Sif said.

“Help?” Thor asked. “What help did they require?”

“Thanos took the Infinity Stone from the collector and moved on. He took one of the Guardians members as well. Gamora, that was her name.” Sif said.

Thor’s shoulders slumped. “So, he has three of the stones”

“Three?” Sif asked.

“He had one from before. He took one from a human called Dr Strange, and he took one from Loki. He killed Loki to take it.” Thor replied. There was a lot of grief in her King’s words then. Sif stepped forward and went to put a hand on his shoulders but stopped herself, this was her King now, not just Thor.

She stepped back and bowed her head. “I am sorry, my King.”

Thor waved a hand. “It is nothing.” There was a pause and then. “Come, we must talk some more, but away from these damned rooms.”  Thor stood up and walked out of the room, Sif trailed after him, as they walked through the corridors, she saw more humans hastily moving out of their way, bowing as they went.

“The humans proclaimed you their King?” She asked. Finding it both unsurprising but also amusing, though then she remembered what the humans had said of her and Thor centuries ago and she felt herself blushing.

“They had no choice. Their royal family was murdered by Thanos, and I was the only one strong enough to protect them.” Thor replied simply.

“I am sorry for that.” Sif replied.

“Why?” Thor asked. “You did not summon Thanos here.”

“No, but still.” Sif said.

Thor waved a hand, the doors to another room opened, and Thor walked in, he invited her to sit. “We will not have time to fully reacquaint ourselves, Sif. I must go and find my friends and help them plan for when Thanos comes back to Earth.”

Sif raised an eyebrow. “Why would he come back here?”

“Because an Avenger called Vision has one of the stones in his head. We must see if we can extract the stone from his head and keep him alive.” Thor said. “The technology is available here, but I fear my friends might have gone to Wakanda.”

“You mean the nation that stole the vibranium from Baldr?” Sif exclaimed.

“Yes.” Thor replied begrudgingly.

Sif shot up then, she did not trust the Wakandans had not trusted them since their agreement with Lorelei and what they’d done to Baldr. “Then we must go at once.”

“We?” Thor asked.

“Yes, I am still a member of your guard, am I not? Where you go, I go.” Sif said.

Thor rose then and smiled. “Where I go, you go. To Wakanda it is.”


	13. Wakanda

 

** Chapter 13: Wakanda **

****

It was damnably hot in Wakanda. That was all Tony could really think of right now. Well that and how awesome it was to be here. As a child growing up he had heard about the Kingdom in the heart of Africa that made most Western countries look primitive. And now they were here. Of course, they’d come to remove the stone from Vision’s head but still. It was like being in a toy shop here, and he was not going to complain about that.

The King’s sister, Shuri was the one who handled all the technology in the Kingdom and it was to her he spoke. “SO, how are you going to remove the stone?” He asked. “As in what technology?”

Shuri looked at him and said. “We’re going to use the infinite lasers and the heat tracker. The stone from how you’ve described it to me emits a certain amount of heat. The tracker will lock onto that and guide the lasers to move the stone out without damaging Vision’s circuit board.”

“You have infinite lasers?” Tony asked impressed. He’d tried to design them himself once, but the final product had never been up to his standards.

Shuri smiled. “Oh, we’ve had them for years. Indeed, I just installed an upgrade on them two days go. That’s how I know that Vision won’t die.”

Wanda appeared then. “What do you mean?”

“After we got your message and the specifications of what Vision is, I did some tinkering. I fiddled around with the grade system and shook it up slightly. Now, when we begin, Vision will be put to sleep, and only wake up once the stone has been removed.” Shuri responded.

“So, if we’re attacked he won’t know?” Wanda asked.

“No.” Shuri replied. “And that’s for the best. We need him here.”

“You keep saying we?” Steve said then. “Who else is assisting you?”

“Oh, Mr Stark, of course.” Shuri replied.

Tony grinned. “More than happy to.”

“What do you need us to do?” T’Challa the King asked.

“Guard the entrance, and make sure that nothing comes in and out.” Shuri said.

“We can do that.” T’Challa replied.

Tony moved to the controls. “What do you want me to do?”

“If you can take control of the direction of the lasers, I can guide you.” Shuri said.

“Alright.” Tony stood to the side a little and watched as a button was pressed and then another. The lasers appeared then, they were black and gold, with growling panthers on them. He took a hold of the handles, which were of course golden, and looked at Shuri.

“One…two…three, and go.” Shuri said as she pressed a button.

Light emerged from them, and Tony moved them up and away from Vision before guiding it right to where the stone was. “Now if you can just increase your pressure on the handles please.” Shuri said. Tony tightened his grip and the light got brighter. He could see the stone beginning to weaken in its holder.

“A slight move to the right.” Shuri said and Tony moved accordingly. He made his mind go blank, he needed to just think of this and nothing else. Anything else would blind him to what needed to be done.

“A slight move to the left.” Tony moved to the left, the handles emitting a strong light now. The holder was melting, forming back into Vision’s skin. As Tony kept the handles focused on the stone, he looked at Vision, he hoped this would work. If it did not they were finished.

The lasers began to strengthen and tighten. “Another few moments and the stone should be out of his head.” Shuri said.

Just as that happened, a burst of light interrupted them and the monitors went off. “What was that?” Wanda exclaimed.

Shuri looked at her screen, but Tony didn’t need her to say who or what it was, he knew. “Thanos has returned.”

“He’s right.” Shuri said looking at his brother.  “and from what I can tell there’s an army with him.”

“How many?” The King asked.

“Thousands.” Shuri replied.

Tony looked at Cap and said. “Get that sorted, we’ll sort this out.”

“Right.” With that the movements blurred and eventually, it was just Tony, Shuri, Wanda and Vision. The lasers were working overtime trying to get this all sorted. Tony could feel the sweat on his back, but he ignored it. This was important work and needed to be done to make sure Thanos did not win.

As he looked at the place where the stone was kept Vision twitched slightly, and murmured something. “Is that supposed to happen?” Wanda asked.

“No.” Shuri said with some concern, she went back to her monitors and then replied. “The stone is about to be removed, we will only have a few moments before it comes out and then we will need to implant the new modulator in him.”

“Got it.” Tony said.

He quickly shifted and began lessening his grip on the lasers, as the stone began to move out, he took the modulator from Shuri and began moving it closer to Vision, he could tell they were almost done, as he got closer, there was a loud bang and he looked around and saw a weird creature moving toward him with great pace.

“Shuri, take the lasers.” He barked. He handed them to her, and then put his suit on and fired off at the creature. It died but another beast came, he fired off at that as well. Wanda was standing guard over Shuri and Vision, but the monsters kept on coming. “How much longer?” He barked.

“Another two or three pulls.” Shuri replied.

“Okay.” Tony threw off some more blasts, pulling things apart and ripping the monsters to shreds, just as he thought things were going to quieten down, Vision screamed. Tony turned toward him and saw something he thought he’d imagined. A purple being standing over them a gauntlet in his hands. He blinked and the vision was gone.


	14. Voromir

** Chapter 14: Voromir **

****

The figure looked horrendous. Red skull, haunted, and gaunt looking. Peter looked at it and said. “Where is Gamora?”

The figure simply sighed and said. “The one you know as Gamora is not here.”

“Where is she then?” Peter demanded angrily.

“Peter, it’s no use, Gamora is dead, she’s gone.” Nebula said.

Peter ignored her and demanded of the figure once more. “Thanos came here with Gamora, where are they?”

“Thanos has gone to Earth to take the last infinity stone.” The figure replied.

“The last one?” Peter asked. “That means that the soul stone was here then.” He looked at Nebula who nodded.

“My memory does not lie.” She said. “Gamora found the stone and then shifted it, or tried to alter her memory. She didn’t know how to alter mine.”

Peter nodded. Time stone, Space Stone, Soul Stone, Reality Stone, Power Stone. One stone left. He knew they’d need to go to Earth, but at the same time he couldn’t leave without finding Gamora. “Where is Gamora?!” He demanded.

“Peter, he just said Thanos went to Earth. If anything he’d have taken her there.” Rocket said.

It made sense, but for some reason Peter felt that that wasn’t the case. Something was wrong. “What does the Soul Stone Require?”

“Why would it require something?” Rocket asked getting impatient now.

“Because it’s something the cosmic entities made. They’re not just going to let anyone take the stones.” Peter replied.

“What?” Rocket asked sounding surprised.

“He’s right. The Power Stone took a great deal from my father, the other stones would have done so as well.” Nebula said.

Peter looked back at the figure. “So, what did Thanos have to sacrifice?”

The figure sighed. “You are all very clever. Of that there is no doubt. But I fear your cleverness will result in your downfall. There are some things that nobody is meant to know.”

Peter drew out his blasters and prepared to fire them. “Tell me what he had to sacrifice or I will end you.”

The figure laughed. “I have been dead for sixty years, Mr Quill. There is nothing those things can do that has not already been done to me.” There was a pause, but then. “But since you are so insistent, I will tell you.”

Peter pulled down his guns and listened. “The entities and the eternals knew that in order to prevent just anybody to take hold of the stones, particularly the soul stone they must be tested. They must be put through extreme tests to make sure they were worthy. The soul stone required that those who wished to wield it sacrifice the thing they held most dear.”

Peter snorted. “So, what did Thanos sacrifice? That ugly ball sacked chin of his?” The thought of the titan loving anything or anyone was ridiculous.

“He sacrificed the one person he loved the most.” The figure said.

“Who?” Peter pushed.

Nebula gasped. “No.”

Peter turned to her. “What? What is it?”

“I was always jealous of her when we were children. Everything she did he approved of, I tried to figure out why but never could. I hated her for that, for having his approval when I didn’t. He…he always said she was his favourite.” Nebula said a tear rolling down her cheek.

Peter heard her words and then it dawned on him. “No!” He said, his heart breaking. “No! He’s a monster, he couldn’t love her!”

Nebula moved toward him and said. “But he did.”

Peter wheeled around and loaded up his guns and pointed them at the figure. “You’re lying. Tell me you’re lying!”

The figure shook his head. “I do not lie. Thanos the Mad Titan came here with Gamora, he left with the soul stone. He pushed her down into the abyss.”

Peter yelled, and fired off a blast, then another. He roared and screamed. It could not be true, Gamora couldn’t be dead. But then she was gone, she was not on Earth, and she was not here. He felt broken. He screamed and flew away. Blowing Voromir to shreds the only way he knew to deal with this.

All the while his heart broke and he felt like he wanted to die. When he was done with the place, rocks were broken and the sky was bleeding. He returned to the ground and looked at Nebula and Rocket. “I’m going back to Earth, and I will kill Thanos.”

He stalked off to the ship, ignoring everything and everyone. The ship opened and he got inside, to find the figure sat there. “What the fuck do you want?” He snarled.

“There is one way you can undo what Thanos has planned.” The figure said.

“How?” Peter demanded.

“The death stone. The very essence of life itself. Find it, and you will be able to bring Gamora back.” The figure said.

“How do I know you’re not lying to me?” Peter asked.

The figure looked at him and said. “I cannot lie.”

“Why has nobody ever mentioned this stone before?” He demanded.

“Because few know of it. I guarded the soul stone therefore I knew of it. It was last seen on Earth in a Shaman’s dream.” The figure said.

The door opened again and Nebula and Rocket appeared. “Where to?” Rocket asked.

“Earth.” Peter said. He would bring Gamora back and kill Thanos.


	15. The Death Of Us All

** Chapter 15: The Death Of Us All **

****

The bi frost took them to Wakanda where they’d heard Thanos was. they landed and the army spilled out onto a carnage fest. The enemy had brought with him some sort of space army the like of which Thor had never seen before. Heimdell however remarked. “They remind me of the Celestials.”

Thor turned to his friend and asked. “You fought them?”

“Many years ago, yes.” Heimdell replied.

Before Thor could ask for more information about the legendary creatures, the enemy was upon them. He used all his might and power to crush through them. Bringing them down with a juddering thud and chaos. He knew what needed to be done, and he knew he needed to find Thanos, but right now he needed to fight. Sif was at his side, and so they fought together as they did in the old days.

“I’ve got three.” She said, her hair a mess, a wild glint in her eye.

“Eight.” Thor replied.

“You haven’t got eight. Heimdell killed one of them for you.” Sif replied.

“Fine, seven.” Thor said as he moved passed her and chopped an ant like creature in half. “Now I have eight.” Sif laughed and so did he.

A roar sounded and a giant came hurtling toward him. Thor unleashed the thunder and the giant was reduced to dust. Another giant came and the same thing happened once more. “Where is he getting these damned giants from?” He wondered aloud.

“Well we know he aligned with the Frost giants before.” Sif said before she disappeared in a cloud of dust and smoke.

Thor looked up and found himself staring into the face of a fire demon. He laughed and rose to meet the beast. They exchanged blows and then Thor took one to the face that sent him hurtling into the ground. He got up, brushed the dust off his face and asked. “Is that the best you can do.” He then launched himself into the air. Using his power he took the fight to the enemy, twisting and turning past them. The beast eventually was drained of energy and destroyed.

As he landed, Thor saw an old friend. “Rogers!” He roared. He noticed the beard on the other man’s face and said. “You’ve copied my beard.”

Rogers laughed. “Something like that.” They moved together and clasped hands before breaking apart.

“What brought Thanos here?” He asked.

“Vision. We needed to get the stone out of his head.” Rogers replied.

Thor raised an eyebrow. “You could have just come to me. We have that kind of technology on Asgard.”

“We didn’t know if you were alive or not.” Rogers said.

“What do you mean? I sent an emissary.” Thor pointed out.

“They never came.” Rogers replied.

Before Thor could ask more another enemy came before them. this one had three heads. “The beast from the east.” Thor whispered. He’d heard about this creature, forged in the fire of the realms of Surtur and raised to sentience by Bor many centuries ago. Thor raced toward it and fought. He was bitten, stabbed and almost died fighting the thing but eventually he triumphed, he smacked the animal down and raised the heavens to destroy it.

He landed again, and then asked. “Where is Vision now?”

“Being operated on by Tony and Shuri.” Rogers said.

Thor nodded. “Let’s finish this now.”

He looked to the skies and closed his eyes, raising Stormbreaker up high and summoned u the energy needed. He whispered. “All Father give me strength, let me end this fighting now.” He felt the energy roll through him, and then as it reached boiling point he opened his eyes and brought Stormbreaker down onto the ground. Thunder and lightning roared through the air, and bolts of lightning and energy hit the enemy, and perhaps a few Wakandans. All he knew was that as long as it went he felt the pull on his core, he felt tired, and then it stopped. And he lifted his hammer up from the ground.

“It is done.” He said turning to Rogers.

Steve looked shocked, his jaw hanging open. “What did you do?”

“I killed the soldiers Thanos brought.” Thor replied. “Come we need to deal with him.”

He picked Rogers up and they flew to the tower where they found Shuri slumped over a table, and Tony nowhere to be found. Rogers shook Shuri and asked her. “Where is he?”

“He went to fight.” Shuri replied. “Somewhere in the woods.”

Thor took Rogers and they went hovering over the woods until Thor saw a fight breaking out between figures. He dropped Rogers down and then channelled his thunder and launched it at Thanos. He saw the figure stagger, he then landed and landed a blow to the figure’s temple and kept going. One blow after another, he kept going, for Loki, for father for mother. For everyone who had ever lost anyone to this sick freak. He kept going and pushed things to their limit and all the while Thanos kept taking it.

Then the beast punched him and Thor fell back, feeling as though he’d been hit by a ten tonne hammer. Thanos hit him again and again, this time there was blood and puss. Thor blocked the next blow and fought back. One hit then another and then a third. The enemy was slowing down. Thor hit him so hard Thanos lost an eye. He smiled when he saw that. “I told you I’d get you back.”

Thanos laughed then as well. “You….should….have gone for the hand.”

Thor saw him bring the gauntlet up and saw to his horror that all the stones were there. He turned around and saw Vision’s lifeless corpse lying on the ground, Wanda cradling it and crying. Then he heard a snap, and suddenly things were disappearing, and Thor looked at Thanos, saw the man smile and disappear, then he roared. He had failed, again.


	16. The Snap's End

** Chapter 16: The Snap’s End **

****

Steve saw Bucky disappear and fizzle into nothing. He saw Wanda and Vision disappear. Everything faded as he sank to his knees. They had failed. It was over. Thor was barrelling around roaring his head off. “Thor.” Steve murmured. “Thor enough!” Steve murmured his friend didn’t hear him.

“Where’s he gone? Where’s he gone?” Thor roared.

“Nobody knows.” Natasha said.

“He can’t have gone far, I’m going to go look for him.” Thor said taking off into the air.

Steve felt someone put a hand on his back. He turned around and it was Tony, bloodied and beaten. “We failed together.” Tony said.

“I’m sorry.” Steve said. There was a weight filling him up now, he didn’t know what to do. Failure was something he’d only experienced before becoming Captain America. Never as Captain America.

“We did everything we could.” Tony said.

“I know.” Steve replied.  And deep down he did know, that didn’t make it any easier. They had fought hard. They were the Avengers they were supposed to win. That was what they did.

Thor landed again with a thud. “He’s gone, he’s not anywhere near here. And half the people who were fighting for us have gone.”

Steve looked at him. “We knew this might happen if he got all the stones.”

“Yes, but he has to have gone somewhere. He won’t just disappear. We can get the stones back.” Thor said.

Steve wanted to find the motivation to agree with Thor, for them to move and find the bastard. But he couldn’t. something inside him was broken. “I do not know if we can.”

“Nonsense. We’re the Avengers we do not lose.” Thor said.

Tony stretched out his hands. “Look around you, Thor, we just did.”

“Then we find a way to undo this. We find Thanos, we get the stones, and we kill him.” Thor insisted.

“You cannot find Thanos unless you know the one place he felt at home.” Natasha said.

“What do you mean?” Steve asked her.

Natasha sighed. “I did some reading before we came here. The stones take you to a place where you are most happy. And they take you there after you’ve used them. we need to find out where that place is for Thanos and go there.”

Thor moved toward them then and said. “Then I shall do that. I shall go and find this place and kill him.”

“We need to work together.” Steve said, finally finding something to hold onto. “We need to ensure we have a plan. We’ll return to the tower in New York and start working on a way to find and deal with him.”

“We’ll need to act quickly.” Tony said. “Thanos knows we’ll come for him. He knows we’ll try and take the stones from him. He will destroy them unless we act quickly.”

“Fine, we’ll go, we’ll do our research and then we shall destroy him.” Thor said.

Steve nodded. He got up, he moved to where T’Challa’s main guard was. “We’re going to go and try and fix this, you’re welcome to join us if you wish.”

She shook her head. “I cannot leave. T’Challa is gone which means his sister if she survives is the Queen. I must help her and guide her.”

“Very well.” Steve said, he moved from her and walked away from the scene of his greatest failure. Natasha caught up with him and said.

“It’s not your fault.”

He looked at her and she continued. “We were all fighting him, we were all doing our best. He beat us, but it’s okay. We know what we’re up against now. We’ll do better this time.”

Steve nodded, he did not know whether he agreed with her or not. He just knew that they had to do something otherwise he’d not know what to do with himself. “I know.” He said. They continued walking. Eventually they reached a clearing, and Steve surveyed the damage. There were bodies lying across the ground, but there was also a trace of sulphur in the air. As if the snap had created some sort of reaction.

He stood with Natasha and stared at the field of battle for a while, how long he didn’t know, but he did just stare. And tried to ensure that nothing was left unseen. He needed to remember this. Everything needed to be remembered. Otherwise he was going to be a fool.

Eventually he stopped and turned around he looked at Natasha and said. “Come on, let’s go.”


	17. Thor's Resolution

** Chapter 17: Thor’s Resolution **

 

Thor listened to what Steve and Tony and the others said, but he didn’t hear them. All he felt was failure. He had had Thanos in his grasp, he had wiped out the man’s army himself, but when it had come to fighting the final monster, he had failed. Just as he had failed to prevent Hela destroying Asgard, just as he had failed to prevent Loki’s death. Just as he had failed to save mother. He had failed and now half the universe was gone. He just hoped Sif had not gone. He took off before they could ask him what he was going to do. He searched the battlefield for her, and found himself breathing a sigh of relief when he found her.

He landed and hurried to her. “Sif!” He bellowed.

Sif looked up and saw him, she ran to him then and hugged him. “You’re okay!” She said sounding relieved.

“I am. Are you?” He asked scanning her for wounds. There was a harsh cut on her chin which would need being looked at.

“I am.” Sif said. She then asked. “What happened? One moment we were fighting the enemy and then our people disappeared.”

Thor swallowed and lowered his head. “Thanos got the stones, he snapped his fingers.”

Sif looked at him then, she must have seen the guilt in his face for she put her hand under his chin and raised his head. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Thor sighed. “It is. I was the one fighting him. I destroyed his army  but I couldn’t defeat him.”

“Thor, it’s not your fault.” Sif said again this time with more emphasis.

Thor ignored that and instead asked. “Where is Heimdell?”

Sif sighed. “The snap took him.”

Thor felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. His friend was gone as well? How had he failed so badly? He shifted and said. “The others want to go and find Thanos. They want to go back to New York to do some research and figure out where Thanos is.”

“Then let us go.” Sif said. “We can help them.”

Thor thought on it, and as much as he wanted to help, as much as he wanted to defeat Thanos, a larger part of him wanted to curl up into a ball and not move at all. His failure weighed heavily on him. “I cannot.” He said then.

Sif looked shocked at this. “What do you mean you cannot?”

Thor sighed. “I am a King. My people have just been destroyed by some monster’s decision. I need to make sure they are okay, then I can decide what to do about Thanos.”

For a moment he thought Sif would protest, he wanted her to protest, but instead she simply nodded. “Very well, I will go where you go, my King.”

Thor wanted to snap and demand she kill him then. The emotion was so strong he was shocked and wondered where it had come from. A large part of him just felt broken. He felt broken as well. He knew he needed to find Thanos, but he also knew that he needed to sort out his Kingdom. He took Sif’s hand then and they flew back to where the others were. Steve looked at him then and asked.

“What are you going to do?”

Thor swallowed, he knew that Steve would not sit back and rest, he would continue fighting and looking for Thanos. And though Thor desperately wanted to join him, he knew he needed to sort out his Kingdom. “I will return to New Asgard, and make sure everyone there is safe before I come and find you.”

Steve nodded. “Good luck.”

Thor nodded. “Let me know if you find him.” With that, Sif grabbed a hold of him and he was about to call on the Bifrost, when a voice called out.

“Wait for me.”

Thor turned around and found Valkyrie coming toward him. She was battered and bruised but she carried a badly injured Bruce Banner with her. “I found him amongst the wreckage.” She said dumping him at the feet of the Avengers.

Thor looked at him and then at Steve. He hated himself for what he said next. “I cannot look after him. My people need me.”

Steve said nothing he merely nodded, and he and Stark picked Banner up. Valkyrie turned to him then and asked. “Are we returning to New Asgard?”

Thor nodded. Valkyrie stood at his side as Sif wrapped herself more tightly around him. He raised Stormbreaker into the air and summoned the Bifrost, it then transported them back to New Asgard. As they stepped out of the portal, he found just one man left waiting for them. “Sigurd.” He said to the man. “Where is everyone?”

“They disappeared. All gone, Sire.” Sigurd replied.

Thor almost slumped down then. He had failed here as well. Valkyrie moved from him and looked around, she picked up something and read it. “There’s something else happening that we need to deal with, Sire.”

Thor looked at her, as he felt Sif squeeze his hand. “What is it?” He asked.

Valkyrie looked at him and said. “Barbarians are coming for us.”

“Barbarians?” Sif asked. “How? Surely most of them would have gone in the snap?”

Sigurd spoke then. “They have approached from Germany, I believe. Something awoke there when the snap you call it happened.”

“Where are they now?” Thor asked making his mind up.

“Near Denmark, Sire.” Sigurd said.

Thor raised his hammer and said. “Very well, I shall protect my people.” With that he was gone. He knew that he was being rash, but he needed to do something, anything to fill the hole the snap had put in his heart.

 


	18. Tony The Broken

** Chapter 18: Tony The Broken **

****

They took off from Wakanda, and Tony sat in silence. They were all silent, Steve who was flying the plane, Natasha, him, Bruce, Rhodey, all of them were silent. There was no point in talking, there was nothing to say. Thor had gone off somewhere, no doubt to fix his Kingdom, and well they had the world to fix. It felt like a colossal failure. How they hadn’t seen this coming he did not know. They’d had six years since New York, six years to prepare and nothing. He only hoped Pepper and the kid were still alive, otherwise everything would get even more dark. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

It must have worked because sometime later he woke up to find them pulling into Avengers Headquarters. The moment the doors opened he bounded down and saw Pepper there waiting for him. He hugged her as tightly as he could and whispered. “I was scared you wouldn’t be here.”

“I know.” She whispered back into his shoulder.

“The kid?” He asked half hopeful that if Pepper was still here perhaps the kid would be as well.

Pepper shook her head. “I saw him and his aunt disappear right before my eyes.” there was a haunted look to her then. “What happened?”

Tony sighed. “We couldn’t stop him.”

Steve got off the plane then, and said. “But we’re going to try again now.”

“How?” Pepper asked.

“With the device.” Tony said.

“Oh.” Pepper replied.

“Device?” Steve asked.

“Yes, follow me.” Tony said, he took Pepper’s hand and walked straight into the building, up the stairs, took a left and then opened another door, where the machine was. “This is something I started working on after the attack on New York. I didn’t finish it until two days before we left for Wakanda. I think this should work.”

“What is it?” Steve asked.

“The Magnus Opus?” Bruce asked sounding awed.

“Magnus Opus?” Natasha asked.

“A system that was supposedly meant to track all life everywhere in the universe. It was first planned out by Howard Stark in 1935, after receiving something of a visit from a special guest. It never happened as the government covered it up. I found the old paper work in my dad’s office a few years ago, and began work on it.” Tony said.

“And you think this will help us find him?” Steve asked.

“Yes.” Tony said, flicking a switch and turning a few dials. “We just need to know a few basic things about him.”

“Like what?” Steve asked.

“Where he’s from.” Tony said.

“Titan.” Bruce replied.

Tony entered that in. “What we’re looking for.”

“The infinity stones.” Natasha supplied.

Tony keyed that in, and the dial started moving quite quickly, shifting and changing, whirring and purring. He watched it with rapt attention desperate for some kind of sign, for something that would show him he hadn’t completely failed. As it began to move, Pepper whispered to him.

“We need to talk.”

Tony looked at her and saw that she was being serious. He moved out of the way to allow Bruce to keep an eye on things, and then he asked her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Well I don’t know, I guess it depends on what you think is right and wrong right now.” Pepper said quickly.

“Pepper, come on what’s up?” Tony asked.

“I’m pregnant.” Pepper said.

Tony felt as if he’d been slapped across the face. He was torn between delight and horror. “How far along are you?”

“About two months.” Pepper said.

Before Tony could respond, Bruce came hurrying out his eyes wide. “Guys I think you need to see this.”

They walked back to the console, and it was flashing yellow. Tony looked at it and felt his gut sink. “What does it mean?” Pepper asked him.

“It means we’ve got a whole lot of work to do.” Tony sighed.


	19. Jane's Thunder

 

** Chapter 19: Jane’s Thunder **

****

“So, if we combine these two particles we’ll likely get an element that can combine together to build enough pressure on the force to ensure a reaction that can then be built on to develop further.” Jane said, explaining the equations she’d spent all of last night working on, to Adam, the new member of their team at Stark Science Laboratories.

“And what about this element here?” Adam asked, highlighting the hydrogen.

“Adding that would be far too dangerous.” Jane said. “It would combine with the sulfur and the carbon to produce a reaction likely to destroy everything. And that’s not even considering the levels of nitrate in the substances.”

“Why did Stark want nitrate in the substance?” Adam asked.

“I don’t know.” Jane answered honestly. “He said something about it being a necessary element in the formation of the stones.” She doubted that if she was being truthful, the stones which had caused the snap and the eradication of half of all life in the universe weren’t from this Earth. They were something else entirely.

“Okay.” Adam replied. He made a few notes. “Give me a moment or two and then I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks.” Jane said, she moved away back to her own desk and began simulating a few reactions to see the most likely outcome.

She tried to push the thought of what they were trying to do down, but she couldn’t. the snap had happened and taken her mother and father with it. And almost everyone else she cared about, including Jake, but well, there was nothing more she could do about that other than try and get this thing done.

Mr Stark had come to her about a year ago, asking her if she wanted to join his team, to work on something special. She’d agreed, and then found herself working on all sorts of things which didn’t make sense. Stark was rich, wildly so, and he was smart. It worried her. and then she remembered he’d been friends with Thor and then it made sense.

As if on cue, Quentin Beck walked into room and said. “Have you guys seen the news?”

“No?” Jane asked wondering what had got the man mad this time.

Beck grabbed the remote from her desk and switched the television on. Jane looked up and saw Thor on the screen, Beck turned the volume up and the news reporter spoke. “Reports are coming in that Thor, King of Norway has executed several thousand refugees fleeing from the lands of the Middle East. The King stated that they were not refugees but instead Djinn, who are a terrifying enemy. But as the images now on screen show, his claims suggest otherwise.”

“What the actual fuck?!” Someone exclaimed as an image of a child’s severed head appeared on the television.

“In a statement, President Trump condemned what the King of Norway had done and said that he had best stop otherwise, and in his own words: “The United States would reply with all its fury and might.” The King of Norway could not be reached for comment.”

The broadcast changed to something else, but Beck turned around and looked at the room. “How come he’s not on trial for genocide?”

“Because he’s a King and a God, you know they get away with everything.” Someone said.

“Well that’s not right.” Quentin said.

Jane tried to make herself small and kept quiet, hoping the man wouldn’t turn to her. But he did. “How could you go out with someone like that?” He demanded.

“When I knew him he wasn’t like that.” Jane said. “He was kind, and caring and gentle.”

“Yeah?” Quentin said. “Well remember that next time you see the bodies of the children on screen. He’s a murderer.”

“Did you ever stop to think perhaps he was right, and that they are the Djinn?” Jane asked.

“Pah, why would some fictional thing exist now?” Quentin asked derisively. “And where would it come from?”

“Well aliens exist, half the planet is gone because of a snap, and we’re working on something to reverse that. Is it so odd to think the Djinn might exist?” Jane asked.

Beck stood in front of her, something oppressive about him. “Because no God, whether rightly or wrongly would have to use thunder and his power to prove something exists. He would capture it and show it to the world. Thor is nothing but a tyrant and a monster. And I think deep down you know that. Which is why you focus so much on this shit, and not dealing with him.” Beck turned and stalked out of the room.

“Are you okay?” Adam asked coming up to her then.

“I….I don’t know.” Jane replied honestly. She wasn’t sure how to feel, a part of her feared that Adam was right, and the Thor she remembered was long since dead.

“Well, perhaps you should get some fresh air? I can handle things here until then.” Adam suggested.

Jane nodded her thanks, grabbed her phone and walked out of the room. She kept going, and when she got to the courtyard, she opened her phone and started writing a message.

_I’ve fought about it, and I’m ready to take you up on your offer._

She waited a few minutes then hit send, almost instantly a reply came back.

_Two Pm tomorrow at Docklands, don’t be late._

Jane closed her phone and hoped she wasn’t making a mistake.


	20. Loneliness

 

** Chapter 20: Loneliness **

****

Sif watched as Thor stomped into his chambers. “Do you need anything, Sire?” She called after him. Her only answer was the door slamming shut.

She turned to look at Valkyrie who sighed. “How bad was it today?” Valkyrie asked. They took it in turns to go out with Thor to fight the Djinn, this time it was her turn.

“He slaughtered all of them before they even had a chance to speak.” Sif said. “The humans saw them as children though.”

Valkyrie sighed. “So, they will think he truly is a mass murderer.”

“I don’t know how the Djinn are doing this. And I don’t know how to break it. Loki would know but he’s dead. And his friends disappeared into the snap.” Sif said.

“Which means that the more this happens the more they will be convinced their former hero is a genocidal maniac.” Valkyrie supplied.

Sif nodded. “I don’t what’s come over him. Before he would actually call out and follow the rules of engagement, but now he simply uses the Odinforce to destroy everything he considers an enemy.”

There was a moment’s silence and then Valkyrie said. “He’s grieving.”

“What do you mean?” Sif asked.

“The snap, Thanos, all of it he thinks is down to him.” Valkyrie said.

“But it wasn’t his fault!” Sif protested. “He did the best he could.”

“Exactly and to him it wasn’t enough. Thanos still won, he still defeated them all and snapped his fingers and wiped out half the universe. He had a chance to kill Thanos before and he didn’t take it. That’s going to weigh down on him.” Valkyrie said.

Sif thought about that and then replied. “But we’ve lost people before. When we fought the Frost Giants we lost sixty thousand men. He grieved, but he didn’t go on and do this.”

“No. But he had you, and his friends and his family with him. and he wasn’t the King.” Valkyrie said. “Now he is, and a King is meant to protect his people. Thor failed.”

“He didn’t fail!” Sif protested. How could Valkyrie say that their King had failed. He’d done everything he could.

“In his eyes he did. He didn’t stop Thanos and he lost everything. He lost his brother, his mother and his father. All within the space of three years. That is a burden of grief nobody could quite recover from, even if they were willing to acknowledge it. And we both know Thor. We both know he’s not going to acknowledge it.” Valkyrie said.

Sif wanted to protested again, but then she thought about it. Thor had never been very good at his emotions and expressing them plainly and simply. She knew then why he was doing this. “He’s punishing himself.”

“Yes. He sees this judgement from the humans as his due. The burden he must bear. He is not ruling, he has not decided on any law in months. Now the more this continues eventually the humans will try and remove him. And I think he will allow them to. That will be disastrous for everyone.” Valkyrie said. “Thanos is still out there, and no doubt he will know that others will be coming for him. Thor must stay alive.”

Sif agreed, but not for the reasons that Valkyrie said. She didn’t want Thor to die, because he was her King and her friend, but also on a selfish level because if he died then she would not continue living, because what would be the point? “So, what do we do?” She asked.

“Not we, you.” Valkyrie replied.

“Me?” Sif exclaimed.

“Yes, you. You’re the one who he will need at his side. You need to show him that you don’t blame him for what’s happened and that you still trust him.” Valkyrie said.

“I’ve been doing that!” Sif protested.

“No, what you’ve been doing is throwing a sympathetic face his way every time he fucks up. You need to show him and speak with him properly. This is Thor, not your King, and not your love.” Valkyrie snapped.

Sif sputtered over that last part. “How?”

“Don’t sit outside here, go in there. And if he threatens to do something to you, kick his arse. He’s a man, they’re all bloody fragile.” Valkyrie said.

“Right…” Sif said.

Valkyrie pushed her toward the door. “Now.”

“Now,” Sif said, she gulped then knocked and pushed the door open. She closed it behind her. “Thor….” She murmured.

There was silence, so Sif walked further into the room, and found all sorts of things, Stormbreaker, a ale horn, and something else and something else. She even saw a painting of Thor with his mother and her heart broke as she saw it. Eventually she found Thor. He was sat staring out into the sky. “Thor.” She whispered.

“Don’t look at me, I’m nothing.” Thor murmured in response. “I have failed.”

Hearing those words broke her heart. “Oh Thor….”

“It’s true.” Thor said, not looking at her. “I know what the humans say. What the people say. I know everyone thinks I’ve gone mad. I want them to end it. I don’t want to do this anymore.”

“Why?” She asked, trying to keep her voice level, even as tears threatened to surface.

“Because I hate myself.” Thor said.

“WHY?” Sif asked.

“I failed to stop Thanos. Loki’s dead, Mother’s dead, Father’s dead. Asgard’s gone and it’s all my fault. I could have stopped it but I didn’t.” Thor said. He sounded so pitiful her heart ached for him. “I don’t even know why you’re still here.” Thor said looking at her. “I know why Valkyrie is here. She wants to fight. But you, why are you here?”

 _Because I love you._ Sif thought to herself, a thought that surprised her, but she pushed that to the side. She’d deal with it in time. Instead she said. “Because I made a promise to you. Because you are my King. Because you are my friend. Because I would be nowhere else but at your side.”

“Even if I am a failure?” Thor asked.

“You’re not a failure, Thor.” Sif said. “You brought us to safety, yes Thanos lives, but that doesn’t mean you can’t undo it. But you must treat yourself better. And you must remember there are still people here who love you and care for you.”

“Like you?” Thor asked.

“Yes.” Sif said without thinking/

A long silence fell between them, as the birds hummed and the movement of the waves and the people around them reached their ears. She wondered what Thor would do, she wondered if she had approached this the right way, or if there was something wrong with the approach. She did not know and she hated this uncertainty. Eventually Thor spoke.

“Then I will try.”

“That’s all I ask.” Sif said, and she daringly took his hand in hers. It was rough and scarred, but it felt safe in her hand. He did not fight and instead squeezed back.

 

 


	21. King

** Chapter 21: King **

****

Sif was right, he had been too despairing, he had given up on himself and his people. He might not have been able to defeat Thanos, but he was damned if he was going to let Thanos defeat him. He had shaved, he had gotten changed and now he was before his ministers. They looked at him with fear. He sighed.

“I want to apologise first and foremost for how I have been behaving. It is not right of me to abandon my duties to you all as King. I swore a vow and I intend to maintain it. As such I make a promise to you now that I shall govern and rule as the King Asgard deserves, as the King that Norway deserves. This I swear before Odin.” As he said that he felt the Odinforce roll through him. “Now I know there are several issues that need addressing, but let us start with the most pressing one.”

Bjorn, the prime minister, an old man, with a bleary eye and a limp spoke then. “Sire, the US and UN have sent word that they will declare war on us, if you do not stop with the fighting and killing of refugees.”

“They are not refugees.” Thor said instantly. “They are the Djinn a scourge from the east that needs dealt with.”

“Sire, nobody has seen the Djinn in millennia. And if these are truly the Djinn then they are disguised as children and refugees.” Bjorn said. “The mass killings benefit nobody.”

Thor looked at Sif, and she hid a smile behind her hands. She had been right about this. “Well you are in luck then.” He clapped his hands and a figure appeared before them, in chains, with several heads and grotesque eyes. It snapped and snarled. “I present the Djinn.”

“This is the Djinn?” Bjorn asked. “It looks much different to what was shown in the books.”

Sif laughed then. “They know how to disguise themselves.”

The Djinn transformed then into a girl, and whispered something before changing into a boy, the boy who had been killed trying to cross the sea years ago. “Please…. You think this will change anything? The west will fall, and soon the whole world will be under our control.”

The figure changed again back to its beastly formation. “Do you believe me now?” Thor asked of his advisors.

There was a long pause as his ministers tried to digest what he’d just showed them. Eventually another minister Simen spoke. “What are you going to do to ensure that thing doesn’t escape?”

“It cannot escape.” Sif said then. “It has been contained.”

“So, will it be here when the UN inspectors come?” Simen asked.

“Yes.” Thor said. “Though I plan on going on the television and explaining what’s been happening.” He hoped that would be enough to convince the humans of his intentions. He did not have the time nor the patience to keep going on with this.

“Very good, Sire.” Bjorn said. The figure disappeared then, as Thor clapped his hands. Bjorn then spoke once more. “There does remain the issue of the Titan.”

Thor narrowed his eyes, trying to calm his heart as it’s beat quickened. “Our satellites have picked up where he is.”

Thor shared a look with Sif and asked. “Where is he?”

Bjorn pulled up the papers and passed them to Thor who read them quickly. “A place known as the Void.”

“I know it.” Thor said. “We will need a way to get there.”

“Our scientists are working hard on coming up with a way, Sire. But there was a message from Tony Stark.” Bjorn said.

“Play it.” Thor commanded.

The message played on the big screen. Tony looked worn and haggard.

“Thor,” he said. “I don’t know where the hell you are or which child you’re killing right now, and I don’t care. Someone’s come. Fury held out on us. Captain Marvel, is her name. she says she knows a way to find Thanos and defeat him. When you get this message come to New York. I’ll sort out all the other shit.”

The message ended there.

Thor looked at Sif and then his ministers. “I must go to New York then.”


	22. Marvel

** Chapter 22: Marvel **

****

The woman stood opposite him had blond hair, was muscular and looked as though she’d been through some shit. Tony looked at her and wondered about her. She said her name was Carol Danvers, and that she’d known Nick Fury for twenty years. That they’d worked together when aliens had landed on Earth. That she was from Earth but was also an alien as well. That she’d come because of Fury paging her. Tony wasn’t sure whether he believed her or not. It seemed far too convenient. He looked at Cap and the man nodded.

“So, just to clarify here. You’re from Earth, from the US even, but you are also an alien. You know Nick Fury but weren’t on Earth for the last two decades.” Tony said.

“Yes.” Carol Danvers said. “Because I had to help the Skrulls, an alien race find a place to rest and reside away from the Kree Empire.”

“And Nick Fury never mentioned you before, nor did he say that we should try and contact you before because?” Tony asked.

“Because I told him only to contact me when there was an emergency.” Danvers responded.

 Natasha snorted. “I think aliens invading Earth was an emergency, Thanos was an emergency.”

“Well, I can’t say why he didn’t send for me during those times. Clearly he thought you’d be able to handle it.” Danvers said.

There was something in her tone that made Tony’s hackles rise. “Why should we believe you?” After everything that had happened, after learning Pepper was pregnant, after losing the kid, he didn’t trust as easily. He needed to make sure that this person, whoever she was, was genuine and not some sort of fraud.

“Why would I lie?” Danvers asked her arms outstretched.

Tony looked at her and said. “Because you’ve just appeared on Earth for the first time in twenty years. Nobody knows who the hell you are, and nobody has ever heard of these Skrulls and Kree you talk about. For all we know you could be working for Thanos, and trying to set us off course. You could be trying to figure out what we know about where Thanos is.”

Danvers raised an eyebrow. “I understand that you are suspicious. You have every right to be. But I promise you, I am not here to sow discord and distrust.”

“Then what are you here for?” Tony demanded.

“I’m here to help you.” Danvers said.

Before Tony could respond a flash of light appeared, and then Thor and his lady companion walked out. “Stark, Rogers, Romanoff, Banner.” Thor said, business like and serious.

Steve tensed then, but a look from Natasha put him at ease. “What are you doing here?” She asked of Thor.

“Tony sent me a message, told me that some woman was here claiming she could help us defeat Thanos. I decided to come and see.” Thor responded.

“And that was what it took to get you to stop killing children?” Steve quipped.

Thor made to move at Rogers, but his female companion, Sif that was her name stopped him with a look. “Enough of this bickering.” Tony said. He looked at Danvers. “You say you know a way to stop Thanos. How?”

“Thanos has six of the infinity stones. But there is one more out there remaining, the death stone. The most powerful of all the stones that were created.” Danvers said.

“There’s another fucking stone?” Tony swore under his breath. “How come you didn’t know about this?” He demanded looking at Thor.

“I only ever knew about the six.” Thor said. He scrunched up his face then as if concentrating. “And my father also didn’t know.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. I only found out about this stone when I was travelling through space. I met one of the Eternals.” Danvers said.

“You did?!” Thor exclaimed.

“Yes, they said that there was one more stone that had been created, that had been erased from history because of its sheer power. They said that if someone had gathered all six of the main stones, there would be one way to remove their power. The death stone, the key to reversing everything that the holder of the six stones had done. It would restore the dead, and it would ensure that the holder of the six stones would be greatly weakened.” Danvers said.

Tony looked at Thor, and then at Rogers, Banner and Romanoff. “Well, where is it?”

“They didn’t know. They said they’d had their own memory wiped at the time. However, I think I know where it is.” Danvers said.

“And where is that?” Thor demanded.

“Deep within the bowels of the Earth.” Danvers said. “In the land formerly known as Atlantis.”

“You can’t be serious?” Tony said. “Atlantis is a myth.”

“It’s not.” Thor said. “I helped sink it.”

“WHAT?!” Tony replied. “Why?”

“Because their King went mad.” Thor said.

“If he holds the death stone, that King will still be alive.” Danvers said.

“What was his name?” Tony demanded.

“Namor.” Thor said.


	23. On The Way

** Chapter 23: On the Way **

****

Thor looked at the woman opposite him. Karol Danvers was her name; Captain Marvel was what others knew her by. If he were being honest, Thor did not know what to make of her. She seemed arrogant and haughty. Her powers had come from the Tessaract she’d said. He had looked her over once and seen that that was true. He wondered if her powers would disappear if the stones were destroyed. Still, there was something about her that did not sit right with him and he didn’t know why.

“Are you going to keep staring at me, or are you going to say something?” Danvers asked.

Thor blinked. “Apologies.” He shifted slightly. “You said you’d spent the past decade in space?”

“Yes, helping the Skrull avoid capture by the Kree.” Danvers replied.

“That conflict is still going on?” Thor asked.

“You know about it?” Danvers asked surprised.

“I helped mediate the peace of 1000, when they stopped fighting for twenty years. It was the first thing I did as Crown Prince of Asgard.” Thor replied remembering that time and how scared he had been.

“Well, it didn’t last long. The Kree went back to butchering the Skrull.” Danvers said.

Something about the way she said that needled at him. Had he been a lesser man he would’ve attempted a retort, instead he simply nodded. “A shame.” A pause and then. “SO, what was it like?”

“In space?” Danvers asked. He nodded. “It was fine, we spent most of the time aboard ships, searching and navigating. A few times the Kree almost found us, but I managed to ensure they got no closer than almost.”

“How many did you kill?” Thor asked.

“What makes you think I killed them?” Danvers asked surprised.

“You do not escape an enemy that pursues you like that without killing a few of their commanders.” Thor said.

“You have experience of that?” Danvers asked.

“Something like that.” Thor said remembering Baldr and Namor before the fall.

“Then yes, I killed a few thousand.” Danvers said she looked almost disappointed when he nodded. Almost as if people had been impressed by that figure. Thor was not. he had killed enough people to fill this world many times over.

“So, what was it about your time with the Skrull that enabled you to figure out things about the stones?” Thor asked.

“I wanted to know how my powers had originated. The Skrull have technology on their ships that allows you to trace a source of power back to its origins. So, I had a scan conducted on myself and it came back to the Tessaract. Therefore I did all sorts of readings, and on the spare moments that I had I would visit the places we stopped off and investigated their libraries. I went to the library of Kronos once, and read through everything that was there.” Danvers said.

“That still exists?” Thor exclaimed. He’d read through the books there once, millennia and a half ago, when the Greek Gods were still powerful.

“Yes. But Kronos is not. It was there I discovered everything I needed to about the stones and the Tessaract in particular.” Danvers said. “I also met Thanos once.”

Thor’s eyes narrowed then. “You did?”

“Yes. I did not know who he was then. He told me something of the stones and he told me of the Tessaract. He said he’d give me more information when the time came.” Danvers responded.

“And you let him go?” Thor asked.

“Yes, I did not know who he was or what he would do. When I learned about what had happened I kicked myself for not stopping him.” Danvers said.

Thor felt a tinge of sympathy for her then. “You could not know what he would go on to do. It’s not as if he was openly talking about it was he?”

“No.” Danvers said. “He wasn’t.”

“Then don’t beat yourself up about it. That does nothing and only makes the problem much worse.” Thor said.

“Got experience in that area?” Danvers asked.

“Indeed, I do.” Thor responded. They sat in silence for a time then, the only noise being the whir of the computers as Banner and Stark worked, Rogers and Romanoff had gone off somewhere else. And he did not know where Burton was, but still there were somethings that they could do.

Eventually the silence was broken when Danvers spoke. “Why did Namor go mad?” Thor raised an eyebrow. “I mean yes he had the Death Stone, but what was it about the stone that made him go mad?”

Thor shifted. That memory was one he had never wanted to explore. But he supposed he had brought it upon himself. “I think the stone does something to those who wear it. He shifts their ability, and their reasoning. I did not know he had the stone at the time. I didn’t even know it existed. But at one point he was the greatest human King that had ever existed, and then something snapped. He started sacrificing his own people to draw from their source of life. So, I had to come and deal with him.” There was more to the story, but he would not say that to Danvers, only he knew the true extent of the story.

“So, you sunk Atlantis?” Danvers asked an eyebrow raised.

“I did not want to, but the people were going to die anyway.” Thor said. “I know how hollow that sounds. But it was that or let him raise the dreaded deep monsters.” He shivered at that memory, how he’d only just managed to stop the deep ones rising.

“Do you know where you sunk it?” Danvers asked.

“No.” Thor said shaking his head. “I did not think that far, I just did.”

Danvers looked as if she was about to reply, when a shout went out. “We’ve found it!” Banner called coming into the room, Tony said the same thing over the comms.

“You’re going to take us there right?” Tony asked looking at Thor.

Thor nodded. “I will.” Sif appeared then, and the others did as well, Danvers got up and walked around.

“What do you make of her?” Thor asked Sif gesturing to the woman he’d just been speaking to.

“Her aura is strange.” Sif replied, she’d been taught how to see such things by Thor’s mother many years ago.

“How so?” Thor asked.

“Usually powered humans have a greyish blue aura, but her aura is green and red.” Sif said.

“And?” Thor asked.

“Thanos is the only other one who has that aura.” Sif said.

 


	24. Atlantis

** Chapter 24: Atlantis **

****

In the past few years, Steve had fought an alien invasion, a talking robot, a dead friend who had never been dead, his own friends, another alien, and yet the strangest thing he had ever done in his life was travel through a beam of light and go underwater and not need some sort of breathing apparatus. The reason for that last bit was because as Thor explained. “You came through with me, therefore a little bit of my power is now keeping you safe. Stay close, otherwise you will die.”

With that thought in mind, he had to roll his eyes when Tony went off first, following some map of his, with Banner accompanying him. Danvers was next, Steve didn’t know what to make of her. she seemed like some sort of enigma, and as quite hard to pin down. It was bothering him, that and the fact that she had seemingly come out of nowhere. But other than that he didn’t pay much mind to her. He noticed that Natasha was with her though, talking with her, and he had to push down those strange feelings that he had for her.

He and Thor walked together, and as they did so, Steve noticed that Thor’s shoulders were taut and strained. “Are you okay?” He asked the King of Asgard.

“I…I do not know.” Thor said. His companion, Lady Sif was at his other side. “It will be strange to meet Namor again.”

“You think he is alive?” Steve asked. He was still finding it hard to believe they were in Atlantis or rather the ruins of Atlantis. The legendary city still looked magnificent under water. Gold and silver mixed together, with drawings and paintings of great battles and some of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen were on the walls.

“I do not know.” Thor replied.

Steve saw the way his friend was holding himself, and said. “And that terrifies you.”

Thor grunted and then said. “I knew Namor two thousand years ago, perhaps even longer than that. There is a period in your history known as the Ancient period, he was alive during that period.”

Steve was not used to Thor sharing information with him, so he simply asked. “What happened?”

“We were friends for a long time, we fought together, we hunted together. He was the son of my uncle Poseidon, and so we knew one another and we did a lot of things together. I occasionally came to help him deal with some things such as the kraken and the scourge.” Thor said.

“Wait, you fought the Kraken?” Steve exclaimed.

“Yes.” Thor said.

“Not only did he fight it, he helped restore him to his normal shape.” Sif said.

“Wait the Kraken was a person?” Steve asked.

“Something like that.” Thor said dismissively. “Either way, it was just before Hercules was born that something started to go wrong with Namor.”

Steve was still trying to process the fact that the Kraken had been a human originally, and only after that did he ask. “What do you mean wrong?”

“He began acting out.” Lady Sif said when Thor did not reply. “He would order the slaughter of innocent young men and women, and he would harvest their organs for himself. His eyes would grow large and then he would do things that would make a normal human destroy themselves.”

Steve looked at Thor and then at Lady Sif, she was holding his hand as they walked through the hallways. Thor stopped and looked at one painting. Steve stopped and looked at it as well and saw that it showed a much younger Thor with a man who had silver hair, and a silver beard. He looked surprisingly like Thor as well, except his eyes were purple not blue. “What happened next?” Steve asked.

“I was told I needed to do something about it. So, I did.” Thor replied. “I asked him to stop, he refused. He made me sit there and watch as he sacrificed a young woman, her name was Helen. I couldn’t so I stopped him and then we fought.”

Thor walked away from the painting and toward the doors which Steve assumed led to the throne room, if the stone guards were any indication. The doors were pushed open, Tony, Natasha and Carol and Bruce were all there and they were staring at a figure on the throne. A figure that Steve couldn’t see, though judging by the way Thor stiffened he recognised the figure.

“What happened next?” Steve asked then, because he got the feeling they were about to meet Namor.

“Atlantis sunk, and Namor with it.” Thor said simply.

A voice laughed, and Steve felt a shiver go down his arm. “Except that’s not quite what happened, is it?”

A figure walked down the steps from the throne passed the others and stopped before Steve and Thor. He was cloaked in black, his eyes were sunk into his face. “Tell them what happened.” The figure said.

“I killed him and then I fed his body to the ocean.” Thor said, his voice breaking.

“Exactly.” The figure replied, before it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

The next thing Steve heard was the sound of hands being clapped. He turned and then gasped. “Hello, brother. I’ve been expecting you.” Loki said, draped in black and green, a stone pulsing in his helmet.


	25. Trickster

 

** Chapter 25: Trickster **

****

Loki saw the response on his brother’s face and he knew the words that his brother would say before he said them, still he let the man say them. “I thought you were dead.”

Loki laughed. “Come now brother, I’ve done this before you should have known it would take more than some giant titan crushing me for me to actually die.”

Captain America looked at his brother and asked. “He’s done this before?”

“Yes,” Loki said. “Many times, it became a bit of game at one point. A bit of fun to make sure my brother remained on his toes.”

Another figure appeared then, a doctor, dishevelled and confused. “Ah, Master Banner, your green friend won’t be joining us today will he?” Loki asked, he desperately hoped not, he still woke up at night form the beating the green monster had given him.

“No.” Bruce Banner said. “Not for lack of trying though.”

Loki faked a sympathetic noise. “I am sure it will happen eventually, I understand there can be performance issues for your kind.”

“What are you doing here, Loki?” Thor demanded.

“Ah, well, you see, after our run in with Thanos I knew something like this would happen. I suspected he would gather the rest of the stones and then live out his genocidal plan, so I had to do something to stop it.” Loki said.

“So, you faked your own death?” Thor asked.

“How? We saw him kill you.” Sif pointed out.

“Ah Lady Sif, a delight to see you once more.” Loki said. “But no, you saw what I wanted you to see.” With that he clapped his hands and a mirage appeared. “You see, I created an image of myself and allowed that to be killed. I then moved myself here.”

“Why?” Thor said. Before anyone else could ask what they’d just seen.

“Because I’d discovered something whilst you were away travelling the universe, brother.” Loki said. “I found one of the last creators of this universe of ours.”

“You met them?” A blonde woman asked.

“Yes.” Loki said.

“What did they say?” the woman asked

“Sorry, who are you?” Loki asked of the woman.

“Carol Danvers, I am the guardian of the dispossessed.” The woman answered.

Loki snorted and looked at his brother. “Is she one of yours?”

Before Thor could respond the Iron Man spoke. “What did the creators say?”

“They said that the war with Thanos was not done, that he would keep coming until he had all the stones. So, I came here and I found the one stone they don’t tell you about. The only stone that matters.” Loki said, he held up the stone itself, and watched as it glinted in the light of the magic he had used. “This stone will undo everything that Thanos has done. It will bring the dead back with their memories, not as corpses but as they were before his snap. It will give whoever wields it the power to destroy the other stones and remake the universe as they wish.”

“And let me guess, you’re going to keep the stone?” Iron Man asked. “Think yourself a hero?”

Loki laughed. “Oh heavens no. I am too old for that sort of business. No, I was merely keeping it warm.”

“What?” Iron Man said.

“Are you hard of hearing?” Loki demanded. “I said I was keeping it warm, I was keeping it for someone worthy of the stone.”

“Who?” Bruce Banner asked.

He looked at his brother, but then noticed the hungry look in the Danvers woman’s face and laughed at her, before looking back at his brother. “The only one who has looked death in the face and spat at it.” He let go of the stone and watched as it flew right to his brother and into his hands.

“Me?” Thor exclaimed.

“Yes, you almost killed him once. Now you get to do it again.” Loki said. “Don’t fuck it up this time brother.”


	26. Science Girls

** Chapter 26: Science, Girls. **

****

Jane watched as the particles shifted this way and that and then she added a bit more heat. As she did so, she felt something surge through her, what it was she did not know, but that was not the first time it had happened. Ever since she’d come to the Point-a little warehouse off the coast of New York- stuff like that had been happening every so often. It was somewhat confusing and worrying. But she pushed it from her mind for now.

It had been a few months since she’d left Stark Industries, on temporary leave. Mr Stark had been surprisingly okay with it. Or rather his wife had been. She’d been the one to sign off on it after all. And she’d travelled here, and well, she spent much of her time working on the thing before her. What it was she wasn’t quite sure, but she knew it would be something to help sort out the issues they were facing. She felt that much in her bones. She took a step back to allow the reaction to take its course, and turned and smiled as a woman with blonde hair came and stood next to her.

“How’s it going?” the woman asked.

“Good.” Jane replied. “I think it will only need a little bit more time and then it will be ready.”

“Excellent.” The woman, who was named Laura Lee said. Jane had met her a year ago during the chaos of another invasion of Earth by aliens, and well they’d become friends since then. “Do you know what you’re going to name it?”

“Not yet. But I do know it will help us a lot.” Jane said.

“I know.” Laura replied. “I didn’t think you’d make something that wouldn’t.”

Jane smiled, it felt nice to have someone, another woman who really got her, and her work. Some of her other friends in New York had never been able to understand the work she did, and they didn’t understand why she hadn’t settled down yet. If she were being honest the thought of having to settle down somewhere, and have kids repelled her. She just couldn’t think of herself like that. That’s why she’d been so eager to take up Laura Lee’s offer, the ability to work on this project and make a difference, and show that women could make big scientific discoveries as well. And with the chaos that the Avengers had been wreaking before this, she felt it necessary as well. The reaction was done when the clock beeped. Jane moved toward the container and added a little bit of sulphur and then stepped back. “Now we wait.”

As they waited, Laura Lee smiled and said. “This is going to change the world, Jane. I just know it. And everyone’s going to be singing your praises and wanting to speak with you.”

Jane blushed slightly, she was not used to getting such compliments. “You think so?”

“I know so.” Laura replied. “Think about it. You’ve managed to make something that will deal with hunger, with the famines, and with the Avengers all in one. And you have the backing of the Clintons as well. Just think on that. There’s nothing you can’t achieve now.”

Jane nodded, then asked. “How did you manage to get them to back this? It’s not something that is usually within their remit.” She’d met the Clintons as well, and been bowled over by just how nice and caring and interested they’d been.

Laura Lee simply smiled. “Oh, I have my ways.”

Jane laughed. “What are you, a witch?”

Laura laughed as well. “Oh heavens no.”

Something in the way her friend said that made her stop, but before she could pursue it further the timer buzzed and she moved to the beaker. She took it off the burner, and brought it to the workstation where the tool was. “Here we go.” She said, Laura nodded, Jane counted for a moment and then poured the contents of the beaker onto the tool.

She watched with something approaching awe as the substance wrapped itself around the tool, it reformed it and moulded it into something new and impressive. She looked at Laura Lee, and saw her friend staring at the tool in fascination. Deciding to focus her attention back on the tool, she saw that it was expanding and then contracting and then moving this way and that. It was beginning to hiss as well, the pressure on the substance adding something new to it all. Eventually, it stopped and there she beheld something she was sure would be her life’s finest work. The tool had been crafted using the elements she’d found in a Sumerian text translated into English, the so-called Book of Abraham. She looked at it and then at Laura Lee and said. “We’ve done it.”

Laura smiled. “No, Jane, you’ve done it. You’ve made the tool that will make the Avengers redundant.”

Jane picked up the tool, it felt heavy, it was curved on one side, and she raised it high into the air, and as she did so, lightning crackled outside. She felt something course through her veins then, and when she went to speak, she couldn’t hear herself, all she could hear was the sound of thunder.


	27. God

** Chapter 27: God **

****

The years had all led to this. He had planned and plotted ever since he had met her, the only thing he had ever loved, before he’d met his daughter. And now he had gotten the very things that would earn her love. And yet she had not come to him. She had ignored him. It was only later that he had learned that she had died. Slaughtered by her own brother. He had raged then. Remembering that he had defeated her brother he had laughed. Oh how he had laughed. He would have to remember to take that up with the man when he next saw him.

Thanos was not foolish he knew Thor Odinson would try and find him and kill him. He knew the Avengers would come for him. he had kept the Stones for that reason alone. He wanted to wipe them out completely. He would do it one way or another, whether they stopped him or not. he would wipe out the Avengers and ensure that they never stopped anything coming about again. For there was a monster approaching. He could feel it, a monster who would consume the universe. He wanted to be there to see it when this thing came.

A movement to his right caught his attention, he turned and he found his servant there. Nebula, another daughter of his. “What is it?”

“I had the Avengers followed. They went down to Atlantis, or the ruins of it. They found Loki there.” Nebula said.

Thanos nodded. He had not expected Loki to die, the being was not known as the God of Tricks for nothing. “What did they find there apart from Loki?”

“They found it. The stone that can undo all your hard work, Father.” Nebula said.

Thanos nodded. He had been surprised when he’d learned that there existed another stone, more powerful than the six he had collected. A stone that the founders of the universe had made separately. “Where are they now?”

“They’re returning to Earth. I think they’re going to New Asgard.” Nebula said.

Thanos nodded. “Very well. Inform legion that we are going to depart soon. We must get that stone and we must destroy it. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Father.” Nebula said. She bowed and departed. Thanos remained where he was staring out at the water as it lapped up against the rocks. He wondered whether he could use the stone that the Avengers had found to bring back Gamora, and whether she would want to come back.

He hated himself for killing her, but it had been necessary. She had to die for him to gain access to the thing that would bring him the greatest power. And now he would ensure that her sacrifice was not in vain. He rose, and as he did so, he saw another member of his council approach him. “What is it?”

“Are you sure this is wise, Sire?” the member asked. “After all, the Avengers will be expecting you to come to Earth to fight them. Would it not be better for them to come to you, and face you on land that you yourself know how to control?”

Thanos shook his head. “NO. I shall not sit around and wait for them to get stronger and more united. They are divided now. We shall take advantage of that make it work to our own advantage. The time has come for this to end once and for all.”

“Very well, Sire.” The member replied.

Thanos raised a hand and his weapons came to him. it was time to finish what he had started.


	28. 28

** Chapter 28: 28 **

****

New Asgard was like nothing he’d ever seen before. It was Norway now, there was nothing but New Asgard. The people of Norway were working for Thor, and he ensured they were protected. That was what Steve saw. He might not agree with the way things were done. There were no elections, no politicians after all, but he could see that those who had survived the snap were happy. And for that, well for that he knew Thor was the one to thank.

And yet the thing that Loki had said continued to run through his mind, so whilst the others were shown around New Asgard, Steve remained in his room and thought. He needed to think about how they were going to defeat Thanos, because he didn’t believe Loki. The God of Tricks had sided with Thanos once before, what was there to say he hadn’t sided with him again? They needed a way to handle Thanos that didn’t require Thor using a stone that might potentially destroy everything.

They needed…. there was a knock on the door. “Come in.” he called, and the door opened.

Natasha walked in, she was casually dressed and she looked beautiful. She always had done but now recently he’d started noticing it more. He pushed that thought down. “What are you doing here?” He asked her.

“I came to see how you were doing.” Natasha replied.

“I’m alright.” Steve replied.

“Sure, and that’s why you’ve got so many post it notes of writing all over this room.” Natasha said gesturing to the things he’d stuck over the main wall to help him think.

Steve laughed. “I suppose you could say I’m not alright. But then we’ve got to think about how to deal with Thanos. I don’t think that stone that Thor’s brother mentioned is going to do it all. Thanos will come with an army after all.”

“So you’re planning on how to handle that army?” Natasha asked, nodding to the notes again.

“Yes, as well as how to handle Thanos if the stone doesn’t work.” Steve answered.

“You seem awfully convinced that the stone won’t work. You were there when Thor used it to bring back those who had died in the snap right?” Natasha asked.

“Yes, I was.” Steve said. He’d hugged Bucky incredibly tight when the other man had been brought back, and he could have sworn that Tony had almost cried when a healed Peter Parker had appeared before him.

“So, what gives?” Natasha asked coming to sit down next to him.

Steve sighed. “It’s one stone. Thanos has all the others. Plus, he has an army. One stone against all of that? I’m not sure it will work.”

“You’re scared.” Natasha said. Steve was about reply that yes he was scared, that they should all be scared because of what had happened, and what could happen, but before he could Natasha continued. “You’re scared because you think that Thor might not be able to do it. He can bring people back but he wasn’t able to kill Thanos the first time. That’s what scares you isn’t it. Not the stones, it’s whether Thor will be able to do it, and whether you want him to.”

Steve sighed again and looked at Natasha, he wanted to lie, he knew what he was about to say could be counted as going against Thor, and showed a remarkable lack of faith in the man given what he’d done but still, he couldn’t lie. “Yes. I don’t know why but even though Thanos is the greatest evil we’ve ever faced, I’m not sure if I want Thor to ruin himself trying to kill him.”

“Ruin himself?” Natasha asked.

“He will do what needs to be done, but you saw what he was like after the snap. How he acted, the rumours that were spread. I don’t want that to happen to him again. I don’t know if it will but the fear that it might is enough to make me want to find another way.” Steve said hurriedly.

“And if there isn’t another way? If Thor has to kill Thanos? If he is the only one who can kill Thanos?” Natasha asked.

Steve sighed. “Then he will do it, and those plans you see there will come into force.”

He half expected Natasha to ask what those plans were, and therefore was surprised when she said. “Very well. Now come on, the others are waiting for you.” She took his hand and helped him up and led him out of the room. As they walked out of the room and down the hallway, Steve found himself wondering if he should ask Natasha out when all of this was done.

Perhaps it would be a nice thing to actually go out on a date. He had never done that, not with Peggy, not with anyone. Perhaps doing it now would be different? He felt perhaps it was the right thing to do. He would ask her when this was all said and done, he promised himself. If they defeated Thanos and he survived, he’d ask her out.


	29. Chapter 29

** Chapter 29 **

****

“So, Thanos and his army will come from wherever it is he has been hiding. They will come in great numbers and then they are going to fight hard. They will try and take the stone, but we cannot let them. That means you’re going to have fight in the reserve, Thor.” Steve Rogers said.

“Absolutely not.” Thor replied. “I have the stone, if Thanos wants it, he’s going to have to fight me for it. And I do not intend on losing this time.”

“I know, but regardless, we must ensure you are protected.” Steve replied.

Thor looked at his friend and said. “Did you miss the part where I brought back the Asgardians, and more of the people we lost during the snap? They will be more than enough to deal with the threat of his fighters.” Thor had been surprised and delighted when using the stone had brought back the other Avengers as well as his friends from Asgard, including Heimdell.

“I…” Steve began but before he could continue, Heimdell interrupted him.

“This arguing will get us nowhere. I know where Thanos will land and I know roughly what he will try to do. The King is right in his thinking. We must take the attack to him, not the other way around.” Heimdell said.

Thor could have laughed at the expression on Steve’s face. The other man looked deeply perturbed but also deeply angered by this. “Fine. So, what are the rest of us supposed to do? Thanos isn’t going to bring a small army. He’s going to bring The Army.”

“Fight.” Tony said. Ever since the Spider boy had come back Tony had appeared more jubilant, as if an entire weight had been lifted off his shoulders. “We don’t sit around, we take the fight to him. We are the vanguard.”

“We can get them from the left and the right. Remember how they fought during the last battle?” T’Challa, the King of Wakanda said. “They were disunited and like a rabble. We can take advantage of that.”

“Do you truly think that Thanos will allow his army to be that disorganised again? We killed off his leading commanders last time.” Wanda-Scarlet Witch- said.

“Thanos is no commander.” Loki said speaking then. “He allowed others to do that for him. He is the overall leader, he will come in and kill anyone who gets in his way.” Loki looked at him then. “He will come for you hard, brother. Are you ready for that?”

Thor grabbed Stormbreaker then. “As ready as I will ever be.” He felt nervous, but he knew that it was needed. He had always felt nervous before a big battle. There was nothing more to it. if you didn’t feel nervous, you weren’t alive.

“Well, then I suppose there’s not much else we can truly discuss now is there?” Natasha asked, looking at Steve. Thor had noticed that those two had been sharing more looks with one another since coming here. He wondered when they’d realise that they felt the same and went for it.

“Indeed not.” Thor said, chancing a glance at Sif then, and deciding there and then to take advantage of this new realisation. He got up which prompted the others to get up as well. “I suggest we all rest, tomorrow will be the time we fight.” With that he walked out of the room, knowing Sif would follow him. Once they had gotten away from the main hall, he stopped and turned. As he’d hoped Sif was there.

“What are you doing?” She asked him.

He looked at her and wondered why it had taken him so long to realise how he felt about her, how he’d always felt about her. “Well, I was wondering…” he began suddenly nervous.

“What? What were you wondering?” Sif asked him.

He took a breath and then said. “I was wondering if perhaps you’d like to fight Thanos with me and maybe drink from his skull when this was all done.” He cringed a little bit when he heard the words he’d said. That wasn’t, what was the word Jane had used? Romantic? It wasn’t romantic.

Sif laughed and then asked. “Are you asking me on a date Thor Odinson?”

Thor felt his cheeks heat. “I…I mean if you don’t want I’d understand. Sorry it wasn’t really the most romantic thing to ask I….”

Sif laughed again, and put a finger to his lips. She blushed then and smiled. “I’d love to kill some aliens with you, Thor. And maybe afterwards we can do something else?” She raised an eyebrow suggestively.

She removed her finger from his lips and he asked her. “Like what?”

Sif moved closer to him and whispered. “Like this.” She pressed her lips to his and kissed him.


	30. Another Round

** Chapter 30: Another Round **

****

“So, what’s the situation?” Sif asked as she and Thor came to stand out in the courtyard where the other Avengers stood. She and Thor had been having some alone time when the message had come.

“Three beams of light were spotted about a mile south of here, and there are reports that the army of the black order is coming.” Steve Rogers, otherwise known as Captain America, replied.

“Is Thanos with them?” Thor asked. Sif knew that he was determined to right the wrong of the last fight, and she would be there to help him.

“We think so.” Tony Stark said. “They’ve come in quite a large number.”

“Let us head out then.” Thor replied. “You said they were a mile south of here?”

“Yes.” Steve replied.

Thor nodded, raised Stormbreaker, and then with a flash of lightning had pulled them all out of the courtyard and into the field, where they could see dust clouds approaching. Someone, Sif thought his name was Falcon said. “That never gets any easier.”

Sif smiled, it was something else entirely to be moved by lightning, but then she had experience of that, these humans did not. She knew that Thor had taken to toning down some of his power when they were with the humans so that it didn’t destroy them. She looked at him then and saw lines of worry on his face. “It will be okay.” She said then, taking his free hand in hers. “We’re together, and we’re going to fight together.”

Thor looked at her and smiled. “I know. I think I just want this all to start.”

Sif grinned and asked. “In a hurry are you, Your Majesty?”

“Oh, I am. You see Lady Sif, I’ve got the most beautiful woman in the world waiting for me, and I intend to spend every minute of every day letting her know just how much I love her.” Thor replied, he then turned bright red as he realised what he’d said.

Sif felt something float within her at his words. Thor loved her! She’d loved him since they were children, she realised that now, but she had never been sure where things had lied for Thor, she had not pushed nor thought on it. She grinned. “Well whoever she is, she is a very lucky lady.”

Thor grinned, and he whispered. “Oh, she is indeed.”

Sif blushed then, his tone of voice was something else entirely, and held the promise of better things to come. Before she could respond, someone, she thought it might have been Loki said. “When you two are done being all romantic and everything, the enemy is here.”

Sif looked away from Thor and found that the Black Order was almost upon them. She drew her weapons, and prepared. Thor raised Stormbreaker into the sky, and lightning crackled. The closer they got, the more the lightning crackled. As soon as the first beast ran toward them, it began. The fight for the universe had begun.


	31. She

** Chapter 31: She **

****

Jane felt the weight of the hammer she had created in her hands and she looked at Laura Lee and asked. “Are you sure this is the right thing?”

“Yes.” Laura Lee replied confidently. “How else are we to show Thor that what he has done won’t be tolerated? The Avengers won’t deal with him properly.”

“But will it be enough?” Jane asked. “He is a literal God!” that was something that still confused her at times. The fact that actual Gods and magic existed as they did. How humanity had never quite realised that she didn’t know.

“Trust me, Jane,” Laura Lee said placing a calming hand on Jane’s shoulder. “it will be enough. I know you, you wouldn’t have done something incompletely.”

“Okay.” Jane said taking a deep breath.

“How are you feeling?” Laura Lee asked.

“Nervous.” Jane replied. Nervous was an understatement, she felt as if she might slip into unconsciousness from just how nervous she was.

“Good, that means you will pay attention.” Laura Lee said. “Now you know what you need to do to take us there?”

Jane nodded. She raised the hammer high into the sky, and concentrated. The sky crackled then, and a bolt hit the hammer, and soon enough they were moving. Moving through the time and space continuum and then the next thing she knew they were standing in a field in Norway. “That never gets any easier.” Jane replied, tottering slightly, before Laura Lee helped her.

“I know right.” The other woman replied.

“Where’s Thor?” Jane asked.

“Follow the noise.” Laura Lee said.

Jane was about to ask what noise she meant when she heard it. a loud bang followed by a roar. She walked as quickly as the hammer would allow her toward the sound, and soon found herself standing on a hill watching chaos unfold before her. There were the Avengers and other heroes fighting what looked like grotesque aliens and other monsters. But then she saw Thor and he was killing children, innocent children and she gasped.

“The madness has set in.” Laura Lee said sounding sad. “He cannot be saved.”

Jane watched as more innocent children were killed and she felt her resolve harden. She took a step forward and then stopped. “I can’t do anything now can I?”

Laura Lee shook her head. “You have to wait, Jane. You must wait until the time is right. Unfortunately, more people must die right now until Thor can be shown to be a monster. When you strike the horror of his actions has to have consumed his friends.”

Jane nodded, she didn’t like it but it made sense. She saw someone with dark brown hair then and a sword, she saw the woman jump next to Thor and take out one of the children. She couldn’t believe what she’d just seen. A woman had killed an innocent child! She turned to look at Laura Lee and asked. “Did you see that?”

“Yes.” Laura Lee said. “The Asgardians are child murderers.”

“Now what?” Jane asked, she could feel anger coursing through her veins, the murdered children imprinted on her vision.

“We wait. There is one more thing that has to happen.” Laura Lee said.

“What?” Jane demanded.

“Wait, have some patience.” Laura Lee replied.


	32. Steve

 

** Chapter 32: Steve **

****

The fighting was brutal. Steve had fought in World War Two and he had fought against an Alien Invasion, but this was something else. There was a never-ending stream of madness. Monsters and aliens and even humans-at least he thought they were humans- that were charging down at them. His shield was bloodied; he was beginning to feel tired. But still he fought. He knew that if he stopped he’d never see the light of day again. They couldn’t let the Mad Titan win. They had stop him at all costs.

As he threw his shield he saw Bucky fighting back to back with Sam. They’d started off in a rocky relationship and gone from strength to strength, something that pleased Steve, and having his old friend back was something he’d never thought he’d have before. Now they were fighting, but as he paused for breath, he saw a monster with three heads come charging at Bucky. “Buck!” He yelled but over the din of the fighting his friend couldn’t hear him. Sam saw the monster and tried to stop it but got swatted out of the way. The monster grabbed Bucky and ripped him in half, mechanical arm and everything.

Steve watched in horror as his friend was torn in two, and then instead of screaming he charged at the monster. He threw his shield at it, and then as it was distracted he jumped and punched it. The monster groaned and its second head came ripping towards him. Steve punched the head clean off, and the third head came and he did the same to it. He then jumped down and hit the monster’s centre, again and again until he felt the monster begin to shift and groan. Sensing what was about to happen next he punched the monster one last time and then jumped back. Some gooey substance burst forth from the monster as it shrivelled and died.

He hurried to Sam and helped him up. “Is Bucky?”

“Yes.” Steve nodded. He would get his friend later, they had to get to Thanos now.

Sam nodded, and together they moved through the field of battle. It was beginning to slow down now. The frenetic pace of activity from the beginning was gone as the Avengers were tiring. There were this new group from out of space called The Guardians of the Galaxy, Steve had met them and they appeared to be nothing more than a ramshackle group of idiots and fools, but they were good fighters. They were currently fighting a few monsters now, and the tree had taken down five of the beasts. Steve threw his shield and took out one of the bigger monsters that was about to go after the tree.

They continued their way through the field of battle, bloodying themselves and removing the enemy step by step, and then Sam saw something in the distance and flew off. Steve saw Natasha and Tony fighting side by side and so hurried over to them. But before he could get to them, Tony was thrown somewhere else and Natasha dived, but Steve could see she was hit. He looked to see who had done this and found himself looking at the mad Titan himself. He roared, threw his shield at the Titan and then ran to where Nat was.

He dived down and found her bleeding. “Steve…” Nat said then.

“Nat…you’re going to be alright.” He found himself saying.

Nat laughed and then coughed up blood. “Come on Steve, you know it’s rude to lie to a lady. We both know I’m not going to make it.”

Steve wanted to tell her about Bucky and how he couldn’t bear to lose her as well, but decided against doing so. Instead, he asked. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Just stay here for a while. I know Thanos is somewhere around here, but I just….I just want to be with you for now.” Nat said.

“Well then that’s what I’ll do.” Steve said. They were silent for some time after this, and Steve thought about Bucky, lying torn in two on the battlefield. He never wanted to see that image again, but he imagined that he would for as long as he remained alive.

“You know…” Nat said then. “I always did wonder what you looked like naked.”

Steve looked at her then and blushed. “Why?”

Nat laughed. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Steve felt something flutter in him, it was a mixture of guilt and surprise. “Well, I suppose so.”

“You know I wanted to go out with you before now, but I never had the courage to ask.” Nat said. “Silly really isn’t it? I’m a spy who is nearly half a century old and I can’t ask a guy I like out.”

Steve chuckled then. “I wanted to ask you out as well.”

“Why didn’t you then?” Nat asked.

“There never was enough time.” Steve said.

“Well there is now.” Nat pointed out.

Steve smiled and asked. “Do you want to go out with me?”

“Yes.” Nat replied.

“There was something else I wanted to do as well.” Steve said, he shifted slightly and Nat moved so that her head was on his lap.

“And what’s that?” Nat asked.

“Kiss you.” Steve responded.

“Well, I’m not stopping you.” Nat replied with a smile.

Steve laughed, and leaned down, and as he kissed her, he felt as if he wanted to cry and curse the heavens for this. He leaned back then after and asked. “How was that?”

“Much nicer than I thought.” Nat replied, she closed her eyes, still smiling. Steve watched as her chest stopped rising and falling, and she disappeared.


	33. 33

** Chapter 33 **

****

Lightning struck the earth and destroyed more and more as it spread. Thor was using his power to the best of his ability, and he knew they were winning. He could feel it in his bones. He’d already dispatched several commanders of the Black Army from this realm and he could feel their souls entering Hel. He knew he would need to find someone to guard that pathway before they escaped. Once this was done and dusted there was much he would need to do.

He guided the lightning to the left and the right, removing threats to his friends and allies in this fight, all the while he was looking for Thanos. He needed to find the beast and he needed to destroy him, otherwise this was all for naught. He would take the Gauntlet then and destroy it as well, so that nobody could ever use the stones for anything ever again. As if she could read his mind, Sif called out. “He’s to the left.”

Thor turned around and there he was. Thanos, the Mad Titan was fighting Tony and Natasha, and winning. He saw Tony get thrown to the ground, and saw Natasha get hit. But before he could so much as move, Steve was there at Natasha’s side. Thanos was merely standing there watching them. Now was his chance, Thor thought. He roared a challenge and threw Stormbreaker at the titan. Thanos reacted by defending himself. Stormbreaker returned to Thor and then he threw himself at the titan.

He swung Stormbreaker again and again until he broke Thanos’ weapon, he cut him on his right side, and he cut him on his left side. He kept going, pushing the limits of his strength and his patience until Thanos was bleeding and broken. Then he started punching Thanos. Slowly turning him into nothing more than what the humans called mince meat. He roared his triumph as he saw blood appear from the Titan’s face and his armour slowly began to disintegrate. “You won’t win!” Thor roared.

Thanos laughed. “You know there is more to this than you can possibly imagine. I am not alone in this. Death will come for you all.”

Thor kept hitting him, then jumped back. The Titan stumbled slightly, and in that moment Thor saw his opportunity. He swung Stormbreaker at the right angle and managed to peel off the gauntlet. He watched as it flew and landed next to Steve. He and the Titan both looked at the Gauntlet, and then at Steve. The other man had not yet looked up. “Steve!” Thor yelled. His friend looked up at him and then at the gauntlet. He hurriedly picked up and put it on.

Thor looked at Thanos. The titan was bloodied, and broken but he did not seem too concerned. “You do not know what will happen now.”

“What will happen is that you are done for.” Thor said. He nodded to Steve and the other man snapped his fingers and Thor watched as the Titan disintegrated, alongside his army. He felt a sense of jubilation and triumph, watching as the thing he hated most disappeared from sight. He turned as he heard the gauntlet thud to the ground and he saw Steve fall to the ground. He hurried over to his friend.

Steve Rogers, Captain America, the very embodiment of what it meant to be an America was lying there, bleeding and heavily scarred. Thor looked at his friend and was surprised when the man said. “It is done. I can rest.”

Thor heard the tone and he knew there was no point in trying to change his friend’s mind. Instead he waited, and as the others came to be near him he said. “This Earth owes you a great debt, as does the entire universe.” Thor looked at his friend and then said. “Go, and rest easy. I shall make sure you make it to Valhalla.” He looked at Natasha and added. “I will make sure that you and Natasha both make it to Valhalla.”

His friend smiled. “That sounds nice.” With that Steve Rogers closed his eyes.

Thor stood where he was for a long time simply watching his friend, he was aware that Sif had come to stand next to him, and he took her hand in his as they watched as Heimdell hummed the song of the dead that would take Steve and Natasha over the golden bridge. It was only once Heimdell had finished that someone said. “The gauntlet’s gone.” Thor whipped around and saw that it was true.

“Where is it?”

“Who has it?”

“Why did they take it?”

And then there was a laugh, and a figure bellowed into the darkness. “Now the age of man ends.”


	34. Woman's Uprising

** Chapter 34: Woman’s Uprising **

****

Sif watched as Thanos disintegrated before her, she felt jubilant. Things were coming to an end now. Perhaps the world could have some normalcy restored to it. She saw Thor move to his friend, Steve Rogers and she knew from a quick glance that Rogers was dying that he would soon be crossing the bridge into Valhalla with the lady known as Black Widow. She stood back, allowing Thor to say what he had to say and when she saw the others land and approach, she stepped forward and took Thor’s hand.

Heimdell sung the song of mourning that would take Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff to the other side and to glorious feasting for eternity. She felt Thor’s grip on her hand tighten slightly and she squeezed back to let him know it was alright. That she was here for him. Eventually, they stood there for a long time in silence. Nobody said anything, and nobody wanted to say anything. But as with all things the silence was broken.

“Where’s the gauntlet?” Someone asked.

“It’s gone!” Another voice replied.

“What?!” Thor said then turning around.

Sif did the same and she saw a bout of dust come over the field and then heard someone roar. “The Age of Man is over!” She recognised that voice and it sent shivers down her spine. She looked at Thor and he sighed.

“I thought this would happen.”

The dust cleared and there stood before them, wearing the gauntlet was Carol Danvers, otherwise known as Captain Marvel.

“What are you doing, Danvers?” Tony Stark asked. The man was bruised and battered but still he stood.

“My destiny.” Danvers replied, and Sif noticed there was a strange gleam in her eyes.

“What are you talking about?” Thor asked.

Danvers fixed a sharp gaze on Thor and Sif found herself moving to protect her love. “You are the embodiment of everything that is wrong with this world, Thor Odinson. You are an arrogant, selfish fool, who allowed your entire world die. You did nothing to stop your brother from bringing the aliens into this world. And you did nothing when the world needed you. The world is burning, the climate is changing. Women are raped and murdered and the men of this world do nothing. They complain at the merest inconvenience, and they demand we respect them for doing the bear minimum. No more!”

Sif found herself speaking. “You are wrong.” Danvers snorted which prompted Sif to continue. “Are there some men who are horrible? Yes. But there are also men who are good, who are kind. Who go out of their way to make sure that everything works, that everything continues to function and that their loved ones are protected.” She looked at Thor then and smiled, then continued. “And women are not so innocent either. More women kill their children than anything else on this world. Women beat their loved ones, women kill their loved ones. Women abuse and cheat and lie. Women are nothing without men and men are nothing without women.”

Danvers snorted. “You have been brainwashed by the evils of mankind. I expected so much better from you, Lady Sif. No matter, now that I hold the gauntlet, this world will change.” Danvers did something then for the gauntlet glowed.

Sif felt something pulling at her and she looked at Thor who said. “You are trying to take the agency of every woman on this planet away, so that you can have an army of slaves?”

Danvers snapped then. Her eyes widened mightily. “I am trying to free them from the chains of man.”

Sif fought back against the urge to do as the woman was trying to command of her and instead replied. “No. I will not join you.”

Danvers spat at her. “Then you will die.”

As if on cue, three figures appeared. One of them Sif recognised as Tony’s wife Pepper, she was in a grey suit. The other woman she recognised as well though she did not know how it was possible, the third she vaguely recognised.

“Thor.” Lorelei said.

“You.” Thor growled.

“Where is my sister?” Lorelei asked.

“She’s not here.” Loki replied, where he had appeared from Sif did not know nor did she care.

She was more focused on the woman standing opposite her who at a look from Danvers launched herself at her. Sif raised her weapon and just about managed to block her blows. She was strong. Unnaturally strong for a human. She swung back and hit the woman, and that was when it clicked. “Jane Foster? What are you doing here?”

“I am fighting to rid the world of you and your kind.” Jane snarled.

Sif hit her again and drew blood. “Why?”

“Because you are child killers.” Jane snapped, this time the other woman got one over her and Sif felt the wind get knocked out of her.

“Jane, those were not children. Those were Djinn, they were evil.” Sif said.

“Don’t lie!” Jane replied.

Sif took another hit, and saw pure rage on the other woman’s face. Deciding that it wasn’t worth trying to talk to her, Sif decided to fight back. She blocked the few blows the other woman got onto her and replied in kind. Her weapon cut through the other woman’s defences and left her bleeding and bloodied within moments. Jane had clearly channelled magic, but she lacked skill.

Sif knocked the hammer out of her hands and pointed her weapon at her. “Give up, and I might spare you.”

The other woman spat. “Never.”

Sif sighed. “Then you leave me no choice.” With that she raised her weapon high and buried it in Jane Foster’s head. She stepped back as the other woman looked at her in shock before falling down, blood pooling around her. Sif picked her weapon out of Foster and saw the battle raging on. An army had appeared out of nowhere to fight for Danvers, and she would need to deal with them.


	35. The Final Countdown

** Chapter 35: Final Countdown **

****

Thor took a moment and then threw himself at Danvers. He could not believe he hadn’t caught onto this sooner. Now he thought about it, the signs were all there. Her apparent appearance, the fact Fury hadn’t mentioned her before, and her knowledge of the Death Stone. Thor swung Stormbreaker, and as the woman blocked his blow he wondered something. Had she done all of this for another motive? He didn’t believe her spiel for a moment. It was too convenient. She had turned the women of the world against their menfolk, or she was trying to. There had to be another goal here.

Thor blocked her swing and then hit her, managing to connect with her face. He watched as she started to bleed. She flew up and he followed her. He shouted after her. “What are you trying to do?”

“You heard me.” She shouted back.

“I heard a version of it. I do not believe that is the truth. You call yourself a hero, so tell me why are you doing this?” Thor asked.

Danvers came right up close to his face and spat. “To save the world from man.”

She punched him then as he considered what she said. As he hung back, he asked. “What has man done?”

Danvers laughed. “You are not blind, Thor. You have seen the destruction and the chaos that man has wrought. It is time for them to go.”

She disappeared then a blast of smoke and dust. Thor looked after her and then thought to himself. _She’s mad. The gauntlet has made her mad._ She would never remove the gauntlet, therefore he had to kill her. That was only way to prevent more needless bloodshed, he would not like doing this, but it had to be done. He waited for a moment and then sensed movement hear the ground, he turned and moved there.

He crashed into Danvers before she had the chance to attack anyone else, and hit her repeatedly with Stormbreaker. Again and again he hit her. She had started to bleed but she refused to break. Instead she started to hit back. Swinging her fists with everything she had. Thor allowed her to hit him, lulling her into a false sense of security. He then swung Stormbreaker at her and watched as she fell to the ground. Landing with a giant thump. He landed near her and said. “You can’t win against me, Carol. Accept defeat and bend.”

“Never.” The woman spat she tightened the hand which had the gauntlet into a fist and unleashed a bolt of energy at him. Thor laughed as it hit him. He felt the stone break, but that did not matter. It was one less thing for him to do. Danvers tried it again and once more when the bolt of energy hit him he laughed. “Why won’t you die?!” Danvers cried.

Thor laughed and as he allowed the lightning to come over him replied. “You cannot kill a God.” He raised Stormbreaker high into the air and then brought it down with a mighty crash. As he did so, he felt the lightning within him flow outwards. When he looked up, Danvers had been reduced to ash, the gauntlet and the stones with her. He turned around as he heard someone call his name.

“Thor!” It was Sif, she rushed toward him and hugged him. “Is it over?” She asked.

“It is now.” Thor responded. Feeling palpable relief at that fact.


	36. Epilogue

** Chapter 36: Epilogue **

****

 

Churches always made Thor feel strange. He had met Jesus Christ a few times and the man was nothing like how he was depicted in this Bible that the humans used. But then he supposed he himself was nothing like what the Norse and the Vikings had thought of him. Men were strange creatures, but he supposed he had best get used to that. Sif nudged him and so he looked up at the pulpit where Tony was about to speak. His friend had been chosen to give the speech for those who had fallen fighting Thanos and Danvers.

“It’s hard to stand here before you all knowing that we have lost so many. There is much that could be said about each of them all, but I would not want to take away from their loved ones. So, I shall speak about the two people who are buried here that I knew. Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff.” Tony cleared his throat and Thor saw him look at his wife Pepper for comfort. Pepper had been cleared of the brainwashing that Danvers had subjected her to the moment Danvers had died. Lorelei had been killed by Loki, and Amora had disappeared shortly afterwards.

“Steve Rogers was a kind and honourable man. he was stubborn but he always tried to do the right thing. He was a moral compass in an age where morality seems to have died. And I think for that we can always remember him.”

There were nods and murmurs of approval at that, Thor listened as Tony continued. “Natasha Romanoff, was hard working, dangerous and deadly. She was charming and lovely. And it was a privilege to call her a friend.” Tony stopped then and took his paper down and sat down.

The priest said some words then and then the ceremony was over. Thor found himself standing with Sif, and talking to various people, he then found himself talking with the Chair of the UN. “Your Majesty, there was something I wanted to ask you.” The man said.

“Ask away.” Thor replied.

“I have met with the leaders of the members of the UN and even some other non UN nations, and they have all agreed on one thing. They believe that you would make a far better world leader than any organisation. You have successfully defended this Earth over thousands of years. You know how to bring people together, and in short they and I think you would make the perfect Emperor.” The man said.

Thor looked at the man in surprise. He had not expected this. He was also very much aware of the fact that anything that was given could be taken away. “I will need to think about this.” He said in response.

“Of course, Sire.” The man replied bowing slightly before departing.

Thor looked at Sif and asked. “What do you think?”

“I think you should accept.” Sif said.

“Why?” Thor found himself asking.

“Because he’s right. You’ve defended this realm for thousands of years, you led the Asgardian people to a new home and ensured they and the humans worked together. You have always put the people first. That is what a ruler is supposed to do.” Sif said.

“And the fact he and his fellow leaders offered it to me?” Thor asked.

“Thor, you’re an Asgardian, their concepts of democracy aren’t ours. Their leaders are speaking for them. If you really think that you need their blessing, go out and ask them. But I think you should accept.” Sif replied.

Thor thought on that. “I suppose that being Emperor would give me the chance to actually ensure that humanity doesn’t fuck up too badly again. And there are a lot of things we can do to make it better.”

“Exactly. Besides, the people love you.” Sif said.

Thor nodded. “I shall consider it.” Sif kissed his cheek then and they moved onto talk with some of the other guests.

As Thor and Sif spoke with their friends, the UN Chief Secretary walked out of the abbey, having heard what Thor had said, he looked left, and right, and then clicked his fingers and changed. Loki Odinson smiled and laughed into the air. “Oh, this is going to be fun.” He said aloud before disappearing once more.


End file.
